Stunning Encounters
by Kaimaler
Summary: In Newcastle England, a ship is crashed and it's precious cargo was lost, a pup. After the accident, the pup finds a new home and makes her life on Earth... raised by humans. Original Author/Title: Graceful White Dragon; A Lost Yautja. REVISED
1. Proposal: Prologue

AN: Hi everybody! Keimaler here, re-creating an older work by a close friend.  
This story... I think, was originally called _A Young Yautja_. But I forgot the specific title...  
Anyways, the point is that I am revising it completely, some old things remain, but it will also hold a longer time period.  
Y'know, 'cause Yautja's live longer then humans, I'm upping Lorenna's age a bit... To maybe... Thirty-nine when they found her, that's about nine years old in human time... I think... Well, that's what I'm making it so live with it!  
She will still remain the same psycho-fun-loving Yautja we all knew her to be, just... in a different light.  
I hope you like what I've done with her and her family!

Original Author:  
Graceful White Dragon.

Original character names:  
Johnny. (The Second Main Human character and the Father)  
Mariana. (The Main Human character and the Mother)  
Lorenna. (The Main character)  
Zala'ess. (The Second Main character)

New names will be presented as time goes on, obviously, previous readers of this story will catch on, others won't care. So... yeah...whatever...

* * *

_Late at night..._

The busy night, bursting with sounds. Laughing, talking, fireworks, cars, and finally the sweet sound of thick white snow crunching beneath ones feet.

Through the gathering crowd who sung Christmas carols and cheered; "_Ho, ho, ho!_" a couple made their way out the back lines, laughing.

Snow turned their garments almost completely white, their unprotected faces turned blue in the cold but left their noses red. It made them look like they were crying not to long ago.

"Where are we going?"

The woman questioned his intent but only to the point of safe curiosity.

She being pulled gently away from the noises of the city and into the park, right where the crowd dispersed to skate on the newly iced lake.

"Just a bit further." He smiled back to her. Her laughs filled the air as they dodged the last few winter dressed folk and finally came to a nice calm walk through the pathways made in the park.

Oddly enough, the park was closed for the past few months due to an unexpected accident in the area.  
Something had caused police, contractors, the government and National Security to rush in and clean the area, before leaving without a word.

All of this seemed strange compared to the possibilities.

If it was some kind of underground accident, like a water main freezing then breaking, it would explain the contractors and their cranes, the police, partly the government but not National Security.

That goes the same with most of the other options, it explains some, but not all.

However, before all these legal figures appeared, a private company appeared, granted quietly, but they did not go by completely unnoticed.  
Locals saw them, took notes that the men with W.Y.C. stitched into their shirts and sometimes caps were not to be bothered or asked after. They knew this when the first local asked, all he got was a stone wall.  
They would tell them nothing.

"Alright Mister! What's the master plan? Drag me out here to freeze?" She shivered, still smiling.

"No. Better." He grinned, slyly if one might say so and took one hand in his, then stood in front of her walking backwards, taking her other hand and slowly pulling her to a stone bench that was perfectly placed in the clearing, circled by snow covered branches.

He gently pushed her to the bench, to which she obliged and sat.

"Come now, it's cold!" She giggled, he smiled wider then took off his coat.

"What are you doing! You'll freeze!" She watched as he placed his coat on her shoulders, leaving him with little more then a long sleeved sweeter.

"I don't care. I'll freeze, just be warm Korrine."

She blushed, although countered by the snow and cold, she bowed her head slightly to hide it.

Korrine almost knew what he was trying to say, but did not wish jumping to conclusions.

He gulped, clearly nervous of what to say or do next. But he knew, he'd been practicing for months, waiting for the perfect time to execute the speech in hopes he would not pick an awkward moment for her.

"Oh Korrine..." His expression clearly showed a caring man, but also a worried one.

"I..." He breathed deep. "I don't know how exactly to say this, I mean, I know _what _to say. Just not _how _to say it." He sighed, his breath white a visable, his body heat rose so high that it was almost like a large puff of smoke from a cigarette, just healthier.

"Harvey? What is it?" She asked, almost knowing what he was trying to say, but did not wish jumping to conclusions.

"Korrine." He stated, kneeling before her. She knew, she jumped to the conclusion.

"I love you." She smiled. "I love you too Harvey."

"But I can't go on doing this." He sighed, still extremely nervous and suddenly, with those seven words, Korrine thought her conclusion was wrong.

"Doing what baby?" She asked, reaching a hand out for him.

"We've been seeing one another for over three years. Still I'm nervous, still I feel as though I don't deserve you. You're kind, funny, and the sweetest woman I've ever met. I don't deserve you and that's why I'm doing this."

Harvey looked down, taking her offered hand in his. It was gloved... and it was her left hand.  
He slipped off the glove, tucking it neatly in his pocket then proceeded to rub her hand gently with his thumb.

Slowly her hopes raised again with his simple action of removing her glove to reveal her wedding finger.

"Korrine Carol Maddison." He turned his wide and nervous smile to a soft grin. "I love you, and I always will. No matter how far I go, or what fate awaits me. I love you and I want nothing more then for you to be my wife. Korrine... Kori, will you marry me?" His grin slowly and uncontrollably widened as he spoke.  
Just as Korrine's did.

"Harvey Clay Beck." She giggled, almost too excited to continue. "I can't imagine my days without you. Not anymore. I love you too much to let it all go." She breathed deeply, her smile hurting her cheeks. "And of course I'll marry you." She leaped forward and hugged Harvey, diving onto him to where he just about lost balance and fell over.

"Yes, yes, yes. I will marry you." She planted short kisses all over his cheeks, to the point where all her red lipstick covered his face, making it seem as if the cold had never frozen his face blue.

Harvey pulled Korrine back on the bench and after all the pecks, he finally kissed her petite red lips. Making his lips red as well.

"So..." Korrine giggled. "I can't wait to tell everyone." Harvey chuckled.  
"You can tell them all. I just want you to be as excited as me." He petted her hair.

Just as usual in the world, something had to surprise and break the perfect moment.

Through the background Christmas celebration, a crack behind the trees around them made it's way to their ears.

"What was that?"

Harvey, now being a to-be husband, stood and stared into the trees. As if waiting for something to happen.

"Harvey?" Korrine asked out and stood next to him.

"Harve, let's go." She tugged on his sweater, trying to convince him something was not right. But he protested, whatever it was had made no approach to harm them so far and if it had ill intent, wouldn't trying to flee cause it to jump?

"Korrine, wait here." He held her arm for a moments time, pushing her back before he left in the direction of the strange sound.

"Harvey please!" She begged before he cautiously moved a branch out of the way and bent over to see through the branches.

Korrine waited, anxious for him to turn around and just take her home.

She's seen the movies, she read the books. Things happen when innocent people get curious of a foreign sound. Not to mention, Korrine was always worrisome.

"Korrine!" Her name called, she flinched before darting forward, meeting her future husband's side. "What? What is it?" She asked, seeing where his gaze lay, she slowly tracked the line of sight down to a small figure in the snow. Shivering.

"Oh dear..." Korrine cooed, stepping forward with Harvey.

The area was not covered in trees, but the figure was leaning on a tree trunk. Obviously cold, perhaps freezing to death.

"Hello?" Korrine braved first and approached the figure. Both Harvey and Korrine knowing that there is no adult that size which means that this person was a child and nothings more soothing to a child then their Mother's voice, or, at least an older woman's calm tone.

"Oh deary, you must be freezing." She crouched next to the shivering body. "Here. Take my coat." Korrine quickly removed Harvey's coat from her shoulders and, although cautiously, wrapped it around the body. Which was slowly being covered in snow.

"Harvey? Is he still alive?" Harvey held a hand in front of the mysterious persons face. "Yes. He's breathing."

Korrine couldn't stand looking at a child in need, suffering for no good reason. She wouldn't stand it.

"Harvey, we need to take him to a hospital. Maybe they can find his family, or if not, the police can." She insisted, and much alike his to-be wife, Harvey wouldn't stand to see a poor child suffer for any reason.

"First, we need to get him warm. Let's take him inside one of the stores. From there, we'll call the police." He nodded as Korrine cooed the child to stand.

"Is he conscious?" Korrine was on the very edge of becoming hysterical.

Harvey looked closer, helping Korrine brush off the snow. "Come on kid. You're alright, aren't you?" He tried to keep the child's attention. Although they were not sure if the child was conscious, it was proved time and time again that any interaction either vocal or physical would help keep the child in a state of unconsciousness with less worry of falling into a coma or having negative reactions to the cold.

Between Harvey and Korrine, discovering how long the child had been out in the cold would be impossible, but guesstimating it wasn't too hard.

The child was shivering, turning a very odd shade that neither Harvey or Korrine knew how to understand it, the color was too odd for their comprehension.

"Come on now." Harvey took the child carefully by his arms and slowly, with the help of Korrine, lifted the child up, only to discover that the child could well stand on his own once he shifted his legs that had laid under the snow to where they were planted onto the snow, feet hidden by the white fluff.

The child took his time standing again, as if he was ready to run.

"There. That's not so bad, is it?" Korrine held the child's shoulder, gently rubbed the abnormally thick skin. "Yeah." Harvey smiled, continuing to brush the child's body off.

"Oh my dear Lord." Harvey looked up, seeing Korrine with the back of her hand over her mouth, eyes wide in shock. "What? What is it?" Harvey was cut short in his cold breath when he also turned his attention to Korrine's gaze, just like she had done with him earlier upon finding the child.

He stared. Although impolite, the child would not know it and even if he did, Harvey could not stop staring.

The child was endowed with four mandibles, an inner mouth behind said mandibles. A large forehead, slightly bumpy and thick locked hair.

It became clear.

His appearance was not human in anyway, possibly animalistic? Was this child actually some kind of exotic animal? If so, probably reptilian given the texture of his body, which as of this moment only Korrine paid close attention too.

Harvey was fixed on the child's facial features. Those four mandibles, his facial skin and those eyes.

Clicking. That's the only word he could describe the sounds the child made. His eyes practically glowed in the night, much like reflective glass, and his skin... Well that was a different story in general.  
His color was so exotic that even though it was night and it hid his colour, but it still strained his eyes to process the colours.

"Harvey?" Korrine asked, turning her eyes from the reptilian child to Harvey. "What is he?" She spoke close to a whisper.

"I haven't the slightest." He shook his head, noticing the child yet again shivering. "But he's cold and maybe ill. We need to warm him up."

Harvey quickly adjusted the coat on the child's shoulders, before actually coming in contact with his arms which he gently gripped and tried to help the child pull his arms through the coats sleeves, but as he did, the child jumped back. Almost stunned by the action.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

Korrine still held the child's shoulder, wondering why the child was scared when Harvey touched him but not when she did.

"Hey now." Korrine tapped Harvey back so she could stand in front of the child, crouching to his eye level. "I'm Korrine. Korrine Maddison and this is Harvey. We're not going to harm you, we just want to help. It's cold out, this will keep you warm." She had pointed to herself, to Harvey and eventually to the coat to introduce themselves completely.

The child watched, only blinking whenever a snowflake fell near his eyes.

"I don't even know if he understands me Harvey." She sighed.

Trying once more to help the child into the coat, and as if reading her mind, the child signified his understanding.

"Korr-enne." He clicked. "Karr-veey." Korrine smiled, instantly her face lit up. "Harvey. Hahr-vee." She pronounced, seeing how far the child's speech could go, as it seemed already he could better pronounce harsher letters like '_K' _better then he could soft ones, like '_H._'

"Hh-arvey." He tried again, the mandibles rolled with each attempted to correct syllable. "Harv-" He made a click or two, then made a sound that resembled a deep throated grumbling before continuing. "Harvey." He pointed to Harvey. "Korrine." He turned gaze to Korrine as well as pointing to her.

"Yes. Perfect. What's your name?" Korrine asked after finally being allowed to slide the child's arms through the sleeves.

He shook his head.  
"What's the matter?" She asked, buttoning up the coat. He shook his head again. "Korrine." He pointed to Korrine again, then to himself and shook his head again.

"What's that mean?" She questions, tying the coat, making sure it was tight enough to warm him.

"I think he's saying he had no name." Harvey finally had permission, or what seemed permission, to reproach the child. After he guessed the child's meaning, the child nodded twice.

"You have no name?" Korrine was slightly shocked by this. After all, every child has a name. With Korrine's stunned expression, the child looked down, as if in shame. "Well, we'll just have to give you one." She smiled, touching the cold, thick skin of the child's cheek. Suddenly, the child rose his head again and those four mandibles clicked and made what closely resembled a smile.

"Korrine. You can't possibly be thinking about... You know what. Tell me I'm wrong." Harvey's eyes widened, Korrine stood, patting the child's shoulders then turned to Harvey.

"Of course. Look at him Harvey, he's not from here. In fact, I bet if we even tried to take him to the police that they'd ask a lot of questions. A lot of questions involving _what _he is. He's too young for that." Korrine argued, Harvey only replied by crossing his arms at first.

Korrine hoped Harvey would agree, that he'd up and say that she was right. Because she was, right that is. The child would not understand the extreme curiosity of human nature. They'd test on him, take samples and place him in lock down... or something like lock down.

He would never know the joyous experience of just being a child. He's miss that and she would never forgive herself if that was to be the outcome.

Then, after the most painful and agonizing minutes of their lives, Harvey caved.

"Fine. Fine. We'll take him home, keep him as our own, but if anything pops up... Like say for instance, his parents appear or his... race appears, he goes with them." Harvey tried not to sound careless of the child's future, he just wanted the child safe and in the right hands.

"Absolutely! No doubt, if they come, he goes home. His Mother must be worried sick! Her being a Mother and all. I can't wait." Korrine became giddy again, he proposed! She couldn't wait to marry, to go on the Honeymoon, then after a year or so; have their own child.

"Ker." Korrine and Harvey turned to face the child again.

"What?"

"Ker." He repeated.

Harvey listened closer that time. '_Ker,_' what did that mean?

On cue, the child pointed to Korrine. "Ker." Then to himself. "Ker." The fourth time was the charm.

His mind just clicked on, eyes flashed open and he snapped his fingers. "Her?" He asked, the child nodded. "Her." The child pointed at himself again, then to Korrine. "Her."

"Wait." Harvey turned to Korrine. "You're a '_her._' Korrine, you're a woman. The child is telling us that you, _'her_' is what she is. The child is female, am I right?" Harvey looked at the child, who nodded. "Fee-mal."

Korrine, as if anymore possible, glowed brighter.  
"You're a little girl!" She exclaimed, once again walking to the child.

"Fe-maay-al." She tried again. "Harvey is male. I am female. Fee-..." She waited for the child to reply.

"Fee-..."

Korrine nodded. "-may-"

"-may-"

"-el."

The girl nodded. "Fee-may-el. Female." She pointed to Korrine and to herself again. "Very good!" She giggled. Harvey stood smiling, impressed with the child's quick learning.

"You are female. I am female. Harvey is male." Korrine began lessons apparently very early.

"Female. Male." The girl pointed to Korrine then Harvey indicating she understood clearly.

"Perfect." Korrine looked back up to Harvey. "Isn't she a doll?" Harvey smiled, white teeth bared. "Yeah, I'll give her that."

On perfect timing, the girl shivered and Korrine was instantly at her side then carefully lifting her up in her arms. Holding her as a Mother would.  
"Let's go home. She's probably tired... not to mention cold." Harvey said as the girl wrapped her arms around Korrine's neck.

"What should we name her?" Korrine thought, holding fast onto the child.

"Something that compliments her..."

* * *


	2. Namesake

AN: This is fun, it really is. Although easy, given the fact that the story was completely planned out for me...  
G.W.D. (Graceful White Dragon as many of her previous faithful fans knew her to be) has passed on, quite literally... and her sister, whom I know personally, was kind enough to give ownership of all her stories to me, as well as her username, even when I didn't ask. She just knew I liked reading her stories and I would be more then happy to continue them.  
So here I am. Continuity!

So, really, what I wanted to say was: First, review or don't. It doesn't really matter, I can't _make _you do it, although I would prefer you do.  
This story is being made for my historic passion for the legendary film: Predator and the older, scarier movie: Alien.  
Both together causes peoples heads to explode from sheer awesomeness.

Second: Anyone reviewing will have an open reply on each chapter. Usernames will be stated then the reply.

Ohmigawd!  
I was reading through this chapter and discovered I left one (of thirteen) of my mental notes!  
You weren't supposed to see that! -hides-

* * *

The fire blazed in front of the now calmer girl who sat, wrapped up in blankets, on the large soft red couch.

Sitting below her gaze on the fire was a tray, one that held a bowl of some kind of liquidy-chunky food that Korrine had fixed for her, along with a steaming hot mug of hot chocolate.

The nameless girl only snuggled into the covers more, enjoying the heat of the fire, the aroma of the food which clearly had some kind of white meat in it. Pleasing her, but not willing to brave the cold, even if the indoor heater was on.

"Are you feeling alright? Sick? Tummy ache?" Korrine held her palm flat against the girls forehead, then placed her hand on either side of her face, taking turns with feeling what heat radiated from her.

The nameless girl shook her head. "Feel good." She replied, using what little English vocabulary she had. "Alright, tell me if you feel any different." Korrine expressed much worry, noting that the child was left in the cold, alone, wearing nothing but a few wraps.

Slowly, trying to keep the quilts on herself as best as she could, the child leaned forward and felt the steam of the food below her.

"Here." Korrine held a spoon in her hand, she placed it in the food.

Stunned by this unexpected placement, the girl simply stared at it, wondering how she would get that liquid and that white meat in her mouth without spilling it or burning herself.

Harvey noticed the struggle the girl hand attempting to find out how she should go about eating the food.

"Use this." Harvey sat next to her with a smooth motion, so as to not startle the girl and took the handle of the spoon and demonstrated how to hold it.  
Just as fast as she learned how to speak basic English words, she took the spoon, held it in her left hand and repeated the delicious, mouth-watering action of dipping her spoon, taking out the liquidy contents then putting them along with round metal part in her mouth, slowly drinking it down until satisfied.

The hot chocolate was next, slirping it up after it had cooled down enough. It was easy enough, the mug had a handle, it was warm and not burning her skin when held and all she had to do was tip it in her inner mouth.

"So... Harvey." Korrine sat on the child's right side and Harvey sat of her left. "What shall we name her?"

In deep thought, both the to-be husband and wife tried their best to come up with a name, befitting of the child's persona.

Knowing what the two were doing, the child wanted to add in her own thoughts on the matter.

"Dy'naa." She spoke up, Korrine turned her attention to the child's eyes first. "Day-nah?" She questioned. Dy'naa, that's a name she's never heard before.

"Diane?" Harvey offered, the child smiled again, obviously pleased with the sound of the name.

"No, Diane just doesn't sound right..." Korrine tapped her chin. "Danni?"

"No, Danni is my sister's name." Harvey sighed. "Deena?" Korrine disagreed, the child did as well by shaking her head.

"Donna?" Harvey tried again, the child disliked it again by shaking her head.

Then Korrine snapped her fingers. "Harv, do you know what the name Diane a variant of?" Harvey shook his head, just as the child looked up to Korrine, obvious confusion. However, not the one Harvey expressed, she was more contemplating on the fact that one name could be a variant of another name. Wouldn't that mean one was just naming the child the same thing with an added syllable or letter? Sometimes even a silent letter?

"Diana." Korrine smiled, Harvey instantly lit up. "Sounds beautiful. What do you think of it?" He asked the child. "Dy-aan-ah." She tried to say, she did like the name, but she just wanted to say it.  
"Die-an-ah." She smiled, clicking afterwards. "Diana." Korrine clapped and grinned like a monkey, engulfing the child in a hug.

"Diana..." She leaned back again. "Diana what though?"

"What about my Mother's middle name?" Harvey asked, wanting something to commemorate his late Mother.

Korrine smiled warmly, touched by the sight of Harvey being so sentimental. "Of course."

"Diana Matilda Beck." Harvey couldn't help but close his eyes and bit his lip, both anxious and amused at the use of his last name, remembering that now Korrine and Harvey were to be married that Diana would be their first child... technically speaking of course.

Over the next few months, the couple had met their parents, on both sides, their relatives such as Aunt's, Uncle's, brothers, sisters.

Although their wedding was planned to be soon, Korrine and Harvey had worried much about Diana's safety with them.  
Not saying they didn't want Diana there, simply they wished that through all their love and caring for her that her own family would return and take her home themselves. It would have been better that way.

Diana would have learned how to live as one of her own kind, even though they had no clue what she was.

For all they knew she could be the next step in evolution. A new sentient race on Earth. Or she could very well be from elsewhere then from Earth. Maybe she was an alien?

After all, there was that unexplained phenomenon in the park just before the couple took it upon themselves to guard this child with their lives.

Naturally, Korrine and Harvey took their time explaining to their family members what had happened the night he proposed. Not just because it was quite the surreal moment for them both, but the fact they found a freezing child in the snow, wearing nothing but a wrap over her chest and a torn skirt, turning more into a loincloth then an actual short skirt.

"... And we took her home." Harvey finished.

The couple had finally gotten the right time for their entire family to show up and sit at a table to listen to the story. Knowing that if taken the wrong way then no one would understand their concern for said homeless child.

At first, every person in the room remained silent.

A possible alien life form? And it's a child? Impossible, right?

"So... Where is she?" Harvey's sister, Danni Beck, had spoken up first. Relaxing the couple. "In her room upstairs. Do you want to meet her?" Korrine offered, Harvey had talked with Korri about them meeting Diana earlier. That it just could be too soon, too shocking for Diana to accept for now.

"I do, want to meet her that is." Korrine's brother, Steaphan Maddison, quickly replied, he wanted to see the child for himself. He was always quite the logical type. Seeing Diana and calculating her chances with anyone in the world other then Korrine and Harvey he would come to agree. Diana wouldn't stand a chance with a typical bystandard and especially not the government.

"Anyone else?" Korrine asked.

Harvey's sister stood. "I want to meet her." Steaphan raised with her, then slowly the rest of the family did.

"We all do." Korrine's Mother, Ella, answered Korrine and Harvey's very pleased faces.

"Come on then."

Harvey led the way, out the living room in the main hall then straight to the staircase. At which point they made their way quietly up the stairs and into the second floor halls, right to Diana's room door.

"One at a time, Korrine and Danni first." Harvey whispered.

Korring stepped in first, Danni at her side.

The room was covered in childhood treasures, toys and games were stacked already. Diana had her way with every last game she could play, at times she even mixed the games to point where Korrine and Harvey couldn't keep up with her anymore.

The colourful walls and carpet were only compliments to her skin colour, which remained bright and powerful, even as a child.

Diana sat on the floor, toy Hot Wheel cars in her hand and the plastic toy car rink in front of her. She drove her cars around the lots and raised them in small elevators then watched as they rolled up and down the ramps, occasionally being boosted by the speed belts on the track.

"Diana?" Korrine asked for, which she turned around and upon seeing Korrine stood and ran to her. "Mum." She smiled, hugging Korrine's leg.

"Diana honey, this is Danni. She's Dad's sister." Korrine crouched down to Diana, who took her time examining the woman that was slightly shorter, had dirty blond hair and wore glasses.

"Hi there. I'm Danni, you must be Diana." Danni crouched down for Diana to examine her better.

"I'm Diana." The child tilted her head as Danni too took in Diana's appearance.

Danni took Diana's hand in hers a shook it softly. "A pleasure to meet you Diana." Danni smiled and this kind action pleased Diana's curious senses and finally Diana brightened up. "Nice to meet you too Miss Danni."

Korrine was so relived that Diana had relaxed and taken to Danni so quickly.

"Well Diana. I'm your Daddy's sister, that makes me your Aunt." Danni grinned, Harvey had opened the door fully to witness Diana's willing behavior.

Soon enough, the entire family rushed in to meet her. Korrine's Mother couldn't pinch Diana's cheeks, seeings how they were not exactly normal ones, she simply improvised and gently hooked her index fingers behind Diana's upper and sometimes lower mandibles. Diana was not bothered by this display, simply astonished how many people wanted to get to know her.

And with those few hours of getting to know Diana, her life changed, as well as her outlook on human life and how she's to be a part of it.

Not to mention years of possible childhood trauma whipped away in one fell swoop.

After a few years Diana had grown slightly, but had ranged in height.

Now the typical size (with some exceptions) of a seventeen year old, she had the mind of a ten year old. However, Diana's real age remained a mystery, but she was guessed to be nine years of age and that made her currently nineteen years old.

Her birthday became the day Korrine and Harvey found her and from there on was celebrated as if she was not of another, still unknown, race.

Diana had learned flawlessly English language and then some. Diana knew words even Korrine, who had gone to a private school for girls and then made English literature and the English language arts her main priority.  
She even knew different languages, French was necessary as was Latin, both were required in Korrine's old private school so she thought it would be best for Diana to learn something they knew, mostly because they were beginning to run out of things to teach her that she didn't already know.

Yet through all their teachings, Diana still knew nothing of her own kind. She had searched the internet then asked favors by her relatives to bring her books on extraterrestrials and science fiction.

All left no clues.

.

.

.

.


	3. The Search

AN: Woah! In the first day of publishing this, I got one fav and 31 hits! Just shocking!  
Well, no reviews yet... So no review replies! Oh well...  
But now I have 112 hits! Ee gads! And two alerts.  
I guess I'll have to work a bit harder to mold this story into the tale you readers are very much so expecting.  
But if I fail in this personal quest, be aware, I will continue writing no matter what... Now just imagine my evil grin as I spread bad grammar and horrible ethics across FanFiction until I die. Or just get one really spiteful review.

* * *

Diana used her morning time to study, her afternoon time to enjoy Korrine and Harvey's company, and at night in her bedroom with her laptop fully plugged in and ready to go, she'd look up universal races.

Star Trek.

Star Wars.

They Live.

Ben 10.

Transformers.

X-Files.

All fiction, nothing posted as "_supposed sightings_" and even the ones she did find were nothing compared to her.

Every "_sighting_" disheartened her, whatever race she was hid themselves very well.  
Mandibles, slightly spiked forehead, piped hair or as Korrine called it _dreadlocked _hair, her skin tone, her clearly stronger body.

She would often stare into her standing mirror, marveling at her own appearance.

That skin, so thick but with it's lack of physical interaction, hard labor wise, her skin was smooth and slightly bumpy.  
Something was telling her that was abnormal for her to have.

That and her tighter appearance which obviously showed that her race was born with a far superior muscle structure then a normal humans.

Besides all of that, she could roar. Not the typical angered growl any person would make to express anger and frustration, but a full blown _puts-a-lion-to-shame _roar.

Not only because of these physical differences, which she didn't mind so much, but that her ability to learn, to sense was five times better then anybody she's ever met before.  
Diana would often think if her ability to learn quickly meant her race was advanced, but then her primal features would deny that possibility.

When she was eleven, only two years in with her family. She came across a lone bunny, just sitting in the snow, probably preparing for hybernation or something of the short, because it was eating like a starving rabid wolf.

She found herself subconsciously bending down, all fours hidden now in the snow up to her thighs and upper arms, her chest only a few inches from the real ground beneath the snow. But her back was arched outward, creating this predatorial-like hump in the ground. Which at present time reminded her much of a hunting snow leopard.  
That is, if she was white and grey rather then her powerful shade of orange, white, and golds.

Diana quickly found herself stalking the snowy bunny who ate heartily.

With a very unlike Diana growl she leaped at the unknowing bunny and snatched it from the snow, holding it firm in her grip as it struggled for freedom.

Thankfully, her Mother Korrine was calling her in for lunch. Which at the time disappointed the child, but at current time relived her since she did not know what she may have done with the poor, traumatized bunny while she felt a great power and hunger over it.

She sighed, resting her eyes from the artificial light of her computer screen then checked the time.

_(11:32 PM)_

Tiredly she exited off her computer pages then shut it down for the night.

Standing on her protesting feet she walked to her bed, pulled the quilts back and laid down, finally sleeping within the white sheets and underneath the colourfully splotched turkey reds, golden rod, and off white designs.

* * *

For a few hours in bed, Diana was in complete bliss.

Until the alarm clock raised hell about it.

She growled, her mandibles clicking furiously as she turned in her bed and whacked the poor round clock on it's top, instantly shutting it's alarm off.

_'Saturday. Finally!_' Diana thought, then instantly realized she had work to do that day. '_Oh God... Not on my weekend..._'

Grudgingly, she stood, her pink with white Happy Bunnies(1) and logo "_It's all about me, deal with it_." And matching sleeveless shirt, which was black instead of pink with one large centered and white Happy Bunny with the same logo below the grinning white bunny.

Her morning tardiness would not go unnoticed, or unpunished, by her parents being that they repeatedly told her that the family would be helping Harvey's sister move.  
Both parents just so happened to be waiting for her downstairs in the kitchen. Enjoying a full breakfast.

She looked as if she'd rather fall down the stairs then walk down them, just to conserve her lazy morning. Of course, if she fell down the stairs, that would undoubtedly wake her up.

After reaching the final step, Korrine called.

"Oh Tilly!" Korrine nicknamed Diana after her middle name; Matilda, which nicknamed version happened to be 'Tilly.' Her Mother loved calling her Tilly, simply would call it out every chance she could. "Come in here for breakfast! I made pancakes!" She cooed with the promise of a syrup drenched, fluffy white breakfast.

"Comin' Mum." Diana's tired femininely gravelly voice was like music to her Mother's ears as she set the hot breakfast in front of a soon-to-be occupied seat.

"Get it while it's hot!" He Mother gracefully walked through the kitchen, putting her own plate in the sink and cleaned up behind her floury mess, caused by stirring homemade pancakes.

Diana sat at the table, not as gracefully as her Mother, and began to eat. Savouring each bite of the wondrous breakfast.

"How is it?" Korrine put up the flour, middle shelf, pantry.

"God Mum, you should be a chef." Her Mother blushed, giggling at the compliment.

"I'm glad you enjoy it."

By the time Diana finished her breakfast, her parents exchanged _good mornings _and already asked her how she slept and if she found anything new on the Internet.

She happily answered to everything that she was fine, felt good although a bit tired and that she still could not find anything pertaining to her race.

But she didn't let that bring her down.

Danni was always fun to talk with, entertaining, funny and can bring life to any party. Harvey's sister, Diana's Aunt, was excited to have her over once again since four months ago.  
They visit often, but the opportunity for Diana and Danni to speak privately about personal matters was a rare moment that they both cherished, enjoying every second of the others company and trust.

Diana stood, put her plate in the dishwasher after rinsing it as clean as she could, due to all the sticky maple syrup and faced her parents, who were already putting their coats on and Harvey picked up the car keys.

"It's a good thing they live on the country side, would have made it impossible for Diana to come." Harvey smiled to Diana who rolled her eyes in reply. "Then again, I would love to see the look on the Couplen's faces." Diana sighed happily as her parents laughed.

Somehow, some unknown reason, Harvey didn't like the Couplen's.

Diana asked why her parents had a family rivalry with them, but was answered with only "_Family rivalry. Ha! More like a male testosterone competition!_" Her Aunt laughed heartily, Diana stared confused at first, but realized that Danni's answer was that Harvey felt competitive toward Mr. Couplen since they commonly showed jealousy for each others.

As soon as she laughed at the memory, it was time to go... And she remained in her pajama's.

"I'll be right down..." Diana sighed, walking right back up the stairs and to her room.

The door swung silently open as she entered and searched for decent clothing articles.

Her parents awaited outside in the car, turning the heater on and waiting for it too to warm up.

Diana jogged back down the stairs, exiting her kitchen door which led to the garage and locked it behind her.

She now donned new, a deep navy blue slightly tight but flared at the bottom; _bell bottoms_. Her Mother remembered, Diana would only wear bell bottoms when going out casually. It was just her _thing_. A belt, thick, strong blue with a copper latch and decorated copper loops, more for her own personal style then for function, seeing how Diana never _really _needed a belt.

Diana hated sleeves, short sleeves, wraps, anything constricting her arms. She _hated _them with a passion. No one really understood why, unless it had something to do with Diana's obsession with climbing trees and her sleeves catching on the branches all the time, causing her much frustration and plenty of cuts.  
So Diana wore a bright, neon green tube top which the bottom ending only an inch above her jeans and it's elastic bottom held it there, it also had an elastic scrunched top with a string that appeared over her left breast, causing the material to naturally flow over her torso and her rather inhuman bust size, without interruption... then again, Diana was not human.

Her shoes almost always consisted of boots, mainly because there was no other large enough style to protect her feet. But she paid no heed to the bulky form because she soon found a company specifically dedicated to producing abnormally large shoes for large feet.  
Happily, Diana threw out her old pairs and bought an entire new closet of shoes, now discovering she had quite the love for stranger fashions.  
Now the shoes she wore a slightly heeled laced black ankle boot, clearly seeing hard work in it's years of labor.

Diana carried along with her a white bag, with a lock and a key hanging off a chain on the front, both without utility but were very appealing to Diana's eye.  
Inside she carried basics, nothing out of the ordinary, unless you count a backpack which carried Diana's clothes she was going to use to sleep over at her Aunt's home.

Then to complete her private style, were her chain charm bracelet, her rings, a necklace and finally for this set the piped hair on the sides of her head had been pulled back loosely and with a chain, it was held back, allowing her past shoulder length piped hair to waterfall down her perfect posture.

Taking pride in her new found personal fashion since four years back, Diana smiled at her parents, waved then walked over to the SUV, hopping right in the sliding doors.

"All ready?" Korrine asked, looking in the back seat to Diana, who buckled in tightly. "Fine Mum." Diana gave her a thumbs up and Korrine smiled before sitting back in her seat comfortably.

Harvey drove out of the path and after a minute or two of exiting the decently sized farmland, they reached the main road, where the family were thankful that the SUV had very strongly black tinted windows, so no one could see into the car and spot Diana in all her inhuman glory.

They were also pleased that Danni and her family lived in the country side, or as far as one could get from Newcastle, England without taking a five hour drive.

In addition to the non-worrisome location of their relatives land and new location, was that Danni, her husband Nicolas, had already been introduced to Diana, but Danni knew her brothers daughter well and was not in the least bit surprised when Nicolas stood in complete shock before fainting.  
Not that he was a coward, a man who'd run and hide. Just the sheer surprise of Diana standing before him was too much for him to handle at that particular moment... He was going to be married in two months. Everyone expected something to happen.

He eventually warmed up to Diana, to both of their pleasure they discovered both of them were orphaned and then adopted.  
Nicolas easily sympathized with Diana's struggle to maintain her normal life in a family not her own and vice versa, but when it came down to her having to hide herself being what she is, Nicolas could only offer his full support.

Curious about him, Diana asked where he was from, clearly not of British roots, Nicolas explained he was Brazilian and lived in Catalonia before traveling to England to visit his family again and met Danni at her work and over three years, married her.

Pleased at finding someone to be able to speak freely of her life as an adopted child, Diana quickly found herself becoming very close with Nicolas and Nicolas loved the very same thing, the familiar sense of releasing ones childhood burdens to another who would understand completely... and then some.

Nicolas and Diana were extremely close, Danni enjoyed knowing that her husband was joyful that her family had one person that was not of bloodline so that he could express himself of his childhood and know that what he would receive in return was another persons experience.  
That was simply so pleasing to him, that Nicolas now called Diana his own nickname that no one else could call her by but him; "_Didi_." And in return, Diana, or Didi, called him "_Niki._" Or when she wanted to mess with him; "_Nik-o._"

Diana was anxious to join her close relatives at their estate, although not a very large estate.

Above Danni and Nicolas, was their son; Corbin.

Corbin was only five now, but oh how he loved climbing on Diana like there was no tomorrow.  
One time when Corbin reached her shoulders, he joked; "_I can see my house from up here!_" Diana laughed, sighing after the powerful, side aching laugh, she retorted: "_Corbin! Your house is right there!_" and pointed down the hill and behold, there was their house. "_Oh... yeah._" Was all Corbin replied after looking a bit disappointed that he was actually closer to his home then he previously thought.

Whenever Diana visited, Corbin made it his sole duty to embarrass her or make fun of her. But nothing was out of spite, or him picking on her racial differences, he just wanted her to be able to laugh at herself from time to time, because somehow he'd always know when she felt down, depressed or separated from the family crowd.

He'd spray her with water, push her in the pool, when she got on a horse to ride in the woods Corbin slapped the hind quarters of the deep brown and dirty white horse so it would take off running.  
All these things attracted her love for the child, he always made her feel better about herself and her situation.

However, today was not a play day for Corbin to prank her.

There was two things being accomplished before the end of the day.

One was that Danni, Nicolas and Corbin were moving further out and wanted to give Diana, Korrine and Harvey a personal tour of their new home, after the entire family pitched in to help them move.  
Mainly Diana, since she could lift heavier objects then anyone else in the entire family and they did have plenty of heavy and large furniture.

Second, was that Nicolas had gone on a trip to Brazil to visit again in ten years since traveling to England, simply for nostalgic purposes and he had only just arrived back home last week and everyone was dying to hear how it went.

Nicolas contacted Diana first apparently, he said it was quite urgent that he would have her over.

"_A surprise_" he insisted. "_And a damn good one._"

* * *

(1) Happy Bunny: A real company/cartoon if one could call it that. It's hilarious, go look for it!


	4. The House

_AN: 235 hits, 1 Fav and 4 Alerts.  
Not much, but this is a new story and a strange one at that, so I guess I expected lower numbers in "Stunning Encounters" first week.  
But thank you to everyone reading!  
Anyways, this is a chapter just explaining to you wonderful readers where Diana will be staying, this is her evaluation (_kind of_) of her temporary housing, provided by her Aunt and Uncle. Primarily meaning that I want you all to at least have some kind of insight to what Diana's temp. surroundings are so in the later chapter(s) when I move Diana and/or her family around, you all know (_at least slightly, or in your own way_) where she is going and can imagine the area/building._  
_At the same time is a lead-up chapter to the "_damn good surprise_" that was mentioned in the end of the last chapter._

_**Blood Shifter2:** Took me a little while, but I've been working hard on recreating "_A Lost Yautja_" to the long, (hopefully) pleasing chapters it is in today._

_**wicked falcon: **It's a surprise! -whispers surprise in your ear- Shhh! You can't tell anyone!_

* * *

The rocky, unpaved driveway caused the silver SUV to rumble at every new inch it rolled over until it finally came to a complete stop.

"Harvey! Korrine! Diana!" Danni's voice cried out happily as the trio stepped out of the SUV to visit.

"Danni!" Diana's parents said in unison as they hugged Danni, soon was Diana's turn.

"I'm so happy you could make it, Nicolas, Corbin and I have been dying to show you around!" She smiled widely, looking between the family members.

"Oh! Well, where are my manners? Come on in, we got everything inside already, just need some setting up that's all." Danni waved them in.

Walking back to the front door of the one story, small front porch, white with grey-ish blue roofing. Diana decided to examine her surroundings.

The grass was exceptionally well kept very few weeds and green to where it looked like it came right out of a cartoon. Nothing obscuring, a few dry spots, burrows, mole and snake induced.

The trees already lost their leaves all except for the evergreens which were evident in the backward, taking up most of the woodlands.

The yard, back and front could roughly be measured to over six acres in the back, sides and front.  
Seeing how the house was a little ways off from the main road, it gave great gardening space for Danni and Nicolas, who has often spoken on their desire to build a farm.

Carrots, tomato's, eggplant, watermelon, squash, brusslesprouts. All these fresh fruits and vegetables Diana would be lucky enough to get the best, the first pick, the first harvest of every year.  
This excited Diana so much that when Diana promised her a fresh basket of assorted healthy goodies that Diana jumped around in circles, hugging Danni until she turned blue in the face.

Finally Diana had come to visit Danni's and Nicolas' home and see first hand the land that was to store the delicious fresh breakfasts, lunches and dinners she so eagerly wanted to devour.

Even though at the moment it was mostly clear, the land was tilled out by hired landscapers, but that's all they needed from them. That and the dirt to build raised beds for the flora.

Once Diana and her family had gone up the three steps that led to the small front porch, light blue chipping paint on the floor boards and bright blue paint on the porches ceiling.

Danni had explained that she searched for a way to keep bugs like wasps and hornets from building nests in the corners of the ceiling, she had discovered that if one paints the ceiling bright sky blue, that the flying nuisances would mistake it as sky and fly away.

Danni had been so proud of herself after discovering that she immediately gave the advice to her friends and family. Needless to say Nicolas was grinning like a monkey, knowing his wife was ecstatic that she had studied hard enough to find the answer.

Once they stepped through the freshly painted white door, Diana searched the room for her Uncle-in-Law.

"Harvey, Korrine, Didi!" Nicolas cheered happily as he came from the hall with Corbin skipping right behind him. "I'm so happy you all could make it!" He took turns hugging each family member before he let out a pleasant sigh and smiled widely, bearing his white teeth through his deeply tanned skin.

"We haven't had time to do much, just a few renovations here or there. We fixed the ceiling fan. Figured out what that blasted light switch was for and painted the front door. It was terrible before." He looked around, admiring his new home. "Besides that, the kitchen is stocked up, furniture is up in Corbin's bedroom and almost done in ours." He explained.

"It's a beautiful home." Korrine stated, taking in the high ceiling.

Diana didn't comment while she detailed every inch of the house. Diana hated lying or judging before knowing, probably because that's all she's ever received.

Sighing at a haunting memory, her cover was blown, the hoodie was pulled off her head revealing her alien features to the small crowd that had thought she was just another woman out for a midnight stroll.

Granted those men were planning on raping her rather then getting to know her, she still was sharply reminded that day of how very fragile her life was and she wished never to put her family in harms way just because she couldn't hold her hoodie up from a group of rapist thugs.

The instant that they saw her, that they _truly_ saw her, they ran, screaming as loud as their lungs would allow without hacking them up.

Quickly pushing the thoughts away, Diana turned her attention to the room.

A couch, their old off white foam cushion seat couch. Oh how she loved that couch. It allowed her much needed rest whenever she had to babysit Corbin, or just the basic sleep over nights.

However it was placed in a corner, plastic folded off to one side. That went the same with the other furniture.  
Coffee tables had some dust on them, acting like a fog on the glass.

The chairs were set up side by side in order. It was clear which was the dinner set, which was the seating area and which were there simply to support guests.

Although everything was out of place, was perfect for Diana to full examine the state of the structure.

The living room that the entry door led to was a light blue, designed to be a faded sky blue. She only found herself growling at one thing.

"Didi?" Nicolas asked, all of them were in a conversation when he heard her growl, she generally refused to use any of her growling or purring. He knew something bothered her. "What's wrong?"

"The ceiling..." She growled. "... It's popcorn." Her insistent vibrating throat intrigued Nicolas, he's always wanted a closer look at that. But once she said _that_...

"HA-HA-HA-HA!" Nicolas laughed, gripping his stomach and sides as he laughed hard. "Yeah! It's- HAHA- It's popcorn!-HAHA!"

Diana looked back to Nicolas. "I _hate _popcorn ceilings. Their a mess to clean once they get on your carpet! I spent half of my time renovating my room just on the popcorn alone." She explained her distaste towards the foamy pops on the ceiling.

"Yeah -HAHA- I remember." Nicolas slowly brought himself to a fit of giggles before coming to a light laugh.

"Niki. Come on. It wasn't _that_funny!" Diana blushed, she never liked the popcorn styled ceiling cover the workers put up. It got every where you didn't want it to get, then you had to vacuum it up. Which was always annoying because you'd always have to come back around and do it again.

"I'm sorry Didi, I couldn't help myself. You almost never growl and when you do somethings usually really off, I was just expecting a bear or something outside for you to growl like that!" He chuckled as Diana walked to her parents as they further evaluated the house.

Corbin's room was a typical boy's room, race tracks, board games stacked in a corner and a few boxes falling slightly.

Corbin had a thing for cars, he'd managed to always pick out the most beautiful of cars. Existing or not, toy or real. He was a natural car fanatic and he stared at _three._

Diana smiled at the toys and colourful walls, all decorated with one or more of Corbin's childhood heroes.

Anakin Skywalker with Obi-wan-Kenobi, his light saber active in his defencive stance with Obi-wan in his own.

Spock and Kirk doing a side by side with pistols drawn.

Bumblebee with his mask down, cannon's armed.

Darth Vader doing his basic stance, lightsaber active.

Spongebob Squarepants doing what seems to be the cartoon characters dance.

Diana found it quite redundant that he had Anakin and Darth Vader up, her being quite the science fiction fan, knew they were the same person.

There were blue and red shelves packed with toys, books, colouring pages and a few other thrown about clothes.  
The floor consisted of a basic rug, although blue, with street mats placed around for his enjoyment, then more clothes.

His bed was a bunk bed, also blue, with a Star Wars Clone Wars quilt all scrunched up on top.

Coming out of his room, into the neutral coloured hall, they walked past a painting or two to the bathroom, which sat opposite to Corbin's bedroom door (just down a little ways) and the guest bedroom, which was also on the opposite wall of the bathroom.

It was basic, the guest bathroom, small but meant to be like that for public use. It had a modern theme, the walls remained a deep, slightly pastel, green wallpaper and light brown towels and hand towels.

In the guest bedroom was where Diana was to stay, it was set up for her seeing how Danni and Nicolas knew how often she would love to come over.

Painted in primary colours to mimic Diana's love of modern style. It was suited for her with a queen sized bed for her comfort with plenty of covers and a fly net around it.

Stronger seating, a nice antiqued dresser and bed frame. The antique look and strong colouring was absolutely what Diana wanted.

While it was made specifically_ for_ Diana, they also kept it's powerful colouring to a minimum. Because Danni, Nicolas and Corbin would have other guests as well when Diana wasn't there.

Placing the colours carefully, Danni picked out sweet spots in the room that Diana would spend most her time in. Desks, chairs, bed, etc.

The floor was a perfectly stained aged oak but had a large white rug covering most of it.

Finally, after Diana jumping about her guest room, they moved onto Danni and Nicolas' bedroom which was directly across from the guest room.

It was a pale yellow, with an aged white dresser, bed frame and chairs. The night stands that were on other side of the bed remained their natural wooden, but stained deep.

The quilts and curtains set of the antique French look with turkey red, off white and a golden sheet.

A master bathroom attached privately to the bedroom, it held both a shower and a bath, a counter with a _his and hers _matching mirrors and sinks.  
Assorted stained tiles adorned the shower, tub and partly up the walls, creating a deep blue aquatic look.

Once they stopped exploring the bedrooms, they approached the kitchen and dinning area, which connected to the living room quite openly.

With a simple oval table and wooden white chairs, the dinning room set was easy on the eyes.  
Light colours, reflective silverware and a glass vase with local flowers, clearly picked by the hyper active son currently residing in his mother's arms.

The kitchen kept and completed their desire of a simple home.  
Pastel painted walls, lightly stained wood flooring and white counter tops. One marble cutting board, one granite counter and a small island.

Utensils were neatly packed away, obvious to the family visiting that Danni and Nicolas had already begun their feisty cooking fests.

"I love it. Positively wonderful!" Korrine cheered, pleased with her relatives decorating tastes.

"Thanks Kori, we've been working non-stop thanks to Nicolas here." Danni patted his shoulder, still holding Corbin safely in her other. "But it was worth it. Especially those days we had Diana helping."

Diana smiled. "It's wasn't a problem, I enjoyed it!"

Nicolas laughed first to retreat into memory. "Remember when we were painting the basement Danni? When that paint fell on Didi?" Danni laughed in return. "Poor thing, took hours to wash off!"

Diana blushed, remembering that particular event. She had been clumsy, just like before, and didn't pay attention to how balanced the paint can was on the ladder when she was climbing down.  
And like they say; _Karma comes around_. The ladder rattled and the paint can spilled all over her. Soaking and ruining her clothes, thankfully though they were work clothes and it didn't really matter. At the same time they were lucky, Diana had just finished the last square of the wall once she climbed down the ladder.

After picking up, carefully carrying out the duct tape, newspaper and plastic that held together the can's worth of spilled paint, Diana went to clean up.  
Allowing her to use the master bathroom, Diana spent four hours scrubbing off the white quick-dry paint, silently cursing about the pick of painting supplier. Even after she finished scrubbing all she could reach, she enlisted (more like required) the aid of Danni, who accepted and scrubbed Diana's back for almost another hour before being completely clean.  
Our of privacy of course, Diana was wearing her pants and used the towel to cover her front while Danni tried so hard as to muffle her laughter.

"Well, we better get started. Or we won't have space to chat." Danni spoke up after calming herself from laughing.

Nicolas and Diana took to the couch, fulling removing the clear protective plastic and began lifting it to the desired space. Even though Diana did most of the lifting, it seemed feather weight to her, a ton of bricks to Nicolas.

Korrine started on the few boxes stacked up with Danni, neatly and carefully removing the contents and setting them out in an orderly fashion on the floor.

Diana picked up couches while Nicolas dragged them.

After all the large furniture was in place, Korrine and Danni began setting out the smaller items. Frames, lamps, and other small collected trinkets.

All the while, Corbin enjoyed watching "_Avatar: The Last Airbender._" Soon, Diana took interest is sitting with Corbin and watching the main character of said TV cartoon get himself and his friends into a mess of trouble involving warring nations, hostile villages, and just down right psychotic people.

Nicolas, being the work hog he is, poked and prodded at Diana until she picked Corbin off her lap and continued working.

Once the Living room was set up and all the boxes in each room were cleared out and stacked neatly in the basement, they vacuumed the carpet and finally all fell comfortably on the couch.

Even though Diana was not actually tired, she loved Danni and Nicolas' couch and would find any excuse she could to sit on it, lay on it, or use it in any way. Now, though, that would change, she had her own guest bedroom and could no longer sleep on the couch.

Now Corbin made it his mission in life to sit on Diana and jump on her, it didn't hurt, since he was so small and light weighted she could let him be without worrying of him jumping up and landing too hard on her.

Somehow she had a rock stomach, muscular under the skin, she never worked out, she was naturally thin with an athletic build.

She, as mentioned before, constantly thought on this. _'My race is fit_.' She would think; '_Built like a _rock.' She'd laugh to herself about it.

Then, memory flooded her.

"Niki?" Diana called out to the far end of the filled and squished in couch. "Yeah Didi?"

"What's the surprise?" She smiled. "Surely it's not that new scar on your arm."

Nicolas chuckled. "You noticed that?" He shook his head, looking at the healed scar. "No, that's from something else." He laughed, obviously embarressed by it, proved so when his face tinted red. Diana laughed at this shy display, but regained herself quickly.

"Then what is it?" She giggled.

Nicolas and Danni gave a glance, a smirk then turned attention to Diana again.

"Let's talk over dinner." Danni practically skipped into the kitchen and Nicolas was right behind her. Leaving the family trio to stand, all anxious as to what the surprise may be.

"Well, I guess we better go help." Korrine spoke up first, leading the way with the confused duo.

Diana sighed, starkly wishing to know what the surprise was and slightly disappointed that she wouldn't know for another few hours. So she would have to sit impatiently through the painful knowledge that something was coming her way and it was so good, so important, that they would require her and her family to sit and relax just to hear it.

"So... What's for dinner?" Diana asked, Danni smiled and pulled out of the fridge one packet of Italian hot sausage from the small meat store down in the newly built Avenue, it was expensive, delicious. This only made Diana more curious as to what the surprise could possibly be.

"Authentic, with home grown vegetables, pizza. The dough is all ready kneaded and waiting patiently in the fridge. Time to roll it, dress it, and stick it in the oven." Danni pulled out a few more vegetables.

* * *

_RAN(_Random. Author. Note.): _Okay, I admit it! I did get carried away with making this chapter... But it was such fun to map out the house! And easy because I was actually showing off to the readers my eldest brother's and wife's new house! Yay! Well, minus the child, they've only been married about a year now...  
Well, the couch Diana loves so much is the same one said brother had at his old apartment, it was lavish! I loved it so much! The days I spent talking and hanging out with him and his wife were well spent, after they went to bed I would stay up and play the XBox 360, Wii, and his computer (_which he built himself, $500!_) which had Counter Strike, Left 4 Dead, Star Wars Galaxies, Fallout 3. I stayed up almost all night at his place drinking sodas, but when I went to bed, it was heaven! That foam, possibly temperpedic, sofa was glorious! I wish I owned it...  
Anyways, that house is my brothers and his wife's house, I loved it when we got the tour which was about a few weeks ago... I was so happy for him and his wife because they always wanted to own their own house rather then live in an apartment._

_Well, I'm sorry for ranting! But I couldn't help but write this all out.  
It does have a reason as well, but I'm sure I could have just gotten to the point sooner... If you want, consider this a "_filler_" chapter, even though I won't._

_In addition, I will be sketching out Diana, her family, and possibly the house because I have drawn longer then I have written stories and I'm very excited about all of this.  
The pictures may be up this week, but it'll take some time to get them all set out, inked in, scanned and perfected. Although I don't have Photoshop any more, I hope you all can see past that and take in your own opinion of the sketch itself rather then the mess that will almost undoubtedly come with it._


	5. The Cataloina Tour

_AN: Ooo, it's the "damn good surprise" chapter! I hope you all like it, even though it was actually quite predictable...  
**BEWARE LIGHT SPOILER**: Well, I am aware some of you may be getting restless from the lack of Yautja's (_beside Diana_) but that will change in the next two/three chapters.  
Yes that was the "_light spoiler_" because I told you how long until we finally see the Yautja Warriors..._

_Ah yes, I also wanted to point out that there is a prayer in here, yes Korrine and Harvey are religious and so are Nicolas and Danni, so in turn Diana is. I just wanted to say, although their religion is not _my_ religon _(though usage of God's name is required in my religon_)__ I still meant no offence by placing their (_Korrine, Harvey, Diana, Nicolas, Danni, Corbin._) religon. If in anyway you find that because I used _"Jehovah"_ offencive, I hope you will PM me instead of flaming me for it.  
I don't know much about The Church of England, it's belief's and the such, but religon won't come up often in this story.  
I simply thought adding a religon to the characters would make them seem more _"real_" in a way._

_Well, it's my obligation as an author to reply to your reviews so you all feel like you are incorporated into the story..._

_**Blood Shifter2: **Yes, the Predators will appear soon. I just have to describe Diana's life on Earth, with Korrine and Harvey, where she's currently staying and how the "damn good surprise" came about or risk this story making no sense whatsoever and loosing my current readers.  
So in overview, they'll appear very soon, if fact, it'll be sooner then you may think! Although not in this chapter (yes, disappointment I know) they will appear very soon._

_

* * *

_

Danni and Diana were stuck. As usual.

The one thing both the women had in common was their clumsiness.

Danni could trip on thin air and Diana could drop an already perfectly balanced stack of dishes that for some reason she felt she had to pull out all at once to reach the bottom of the dishes.

"Careful. Careful!" Danni said, trying to help Diana balance the plates, bowls and saucers.

"I'm trying! Just keep putting them up!" Diana cried back, in an awkward position holding the dishes.

One hand held a fairly large stack of basic plates, the other held a smaller, but harder to hold because it was leaning off to the far side, of basic dinner bowls. On Diana's large forehead was a small stack of saucers with even smaller saucers on top.  
Diana's right leg, calf to foot, was on the counter top. She had placed it there with the hopes of balance but it didn't work and now she had a glass she held with her foot that had fallen from the cupboard once she put her foot up on the counter top.

Looking back, Diana can conclude that this was not the best idea she's ever had.

Danni was at her side with Korrine putting the dishes up one at a time. Harvey and Nicolas offered to help, but there wasn't enough room for them to help in and they kept proving themselves as clumsy as Diana.  
At the same time they were glad they couldn't help, because they had rushed to get the video camera and record the entire performance.

All of this would came back to haunt Diana eventually...

Diana was shaking involuntarily from the stress of the odd position. The dishes rattled and shook while the two raced to put the dishes away.

Nicolas and Harvey couldn't help but laugh at the sight, the struggle to hold up the dishes. This distracted Diana.

"It's not _that _funny!" Diana cried, her facial expression had sent off Harvey and Nicolas into a laughing fit, to them Diana now had the ability to look exactly like a cartoon character.

"Didi you find yourself saying that a lot today, huh?" Nicolas laughed, she had said that previously.

"Well, that's because it isn't!"

Diana also found amusement out of that, much to the two women's dismay, she giggled, the dishes rattled and Diana slipped.

_(CRASH!)_

The remainder of the dishes Diana balanced with her body fell with her giggling.

Everyone was silent. All staring, waiting for anybody's reaction first.

It came in the form of barking laughter. Harvey and Nicolas were toppling over from laughing so hard, both holding their sides in humorous pain.

Diana laid on the floor, propped on her elbows, embarrassed. With the camera still recording as it had been from the very beginning.

Korrine began giggling, quickly resulting in a contagious laughter which Danni joined in hard. Diana, still on the floor stiff as a board, laughed nervously as the four began to turn red and the room began to burst with the loud barking of human laughter.

Korrine kneeled down to Diana and patted her shoulder as Danni fetched the broom. Not a one of them had stopped laughing.

Turning a deeper shade of her white and orange skin, Diana slowly pushed herself up, careful not to cut herself on the porcelain shards.

Danni came back with the broom and dustpan, sweeping up the white and blue shattered mess.

"I'm sorry Danni... I should've been more careful..." Diana was slumped over, though standing, with the rough appearance of a guilty puppy.

Danni threw one small pile of shards into the thrash. "It's okay, at least there wasn't that many left. We saved most of them." She giggled.

Diana offered to finish up and Danni accepted, so she quickly took to sweeping up the glass mess while everyone avoided the area until she finished.

She turned, placed the broom and dustpan back into the cleaning supplies closet and faced Harvey and Nicolas; the camera was still rolling, capturing perfectly Diana's still blushing face.

"Dad-" She groaned, keeping her hurt puppy face. "-Niki, stop!" She brushed past the camera men and back into the kitchen where Danni and Korrine finished removing the homemade pizza from the oven and placed it onto the metal rack to as to cool while Korrine gathered plates and heated them in the microwave.

"Dinner!" Danni sung like music to Diana.

In a rushed fashion, Diana gathered cups, put ice from the refrigerator ice maker in each one, placed them about the table, took out the plates from the microwave, set them out in a neat line then took the condiments from the pantry and set them out as well.

All the while, the family stared at her new found balance and speed.

"Wow honey... That was fast." Korrine grinned, wide eyed.

"Yeah, I'm hungry!" Diana bounced like a hyper active child. "I want _food_." She stretched out her plea for pizza.

"Here it comes." Danni sliced the pizza, placing an even amount, except on Diana's plate which held more, on each surviving porcelain plate and everyone carried their own plate to the table, taking their individual plates.

Without anyone but Nicolas and Harvey, they had placed the camera in an open space so as to catch the dinner on camera. Both wanting to keep this dinner as a family a sentimental moment.  
Even at times Harvey and Nicolas could be the nostalgic ones, rather then Korrine and Danni.

"Nicolas, since their the guests." Danni hinted and Nicolas nodded. "Say grace." Nicolas announced as each member bowed their heads and clasped their hands together.

"Dear Jehovah, we thank you for this food we're about to receive. For the wonderful home you've blessed us with and for Diana, who we feel to be blessed with even her presence.-"

Diana smiled, although everyone's eyes were closed.

"-And pray for our families to be kept safe. We thank you for these things, in your son's name, Jesus Christ. Amen."

Nicolas looked up first, tasting first the pizza happily prepared by the entire family before him.

"Oh Danni!" He hummed, gulping down the first bite. "This is delicious." He leaned over and kissed Danni's cheek. "I'm glad you enjoy it." She replied with a monkey grin.

Diana snapped open her soda, taking a good swig before chomping down on the pizza. "I agree... This is awesome." She rolled her eyes, taking in the taste.

Through eating, everyone expressed their thanks to one another, nothing too special about the evening.

Until Corbin spoke up.

"You eat funny!" He laughed.

Danni, Nicolas, Korrine and Harvey just about choked on their dinner right the and there.

"Corbin!" Danni cried. "Manners!" Danni stressed a look upon Corbin that made him sink into his chair.

But it was true, Diana ate differently then they, her entire family, did courtesy of her four mandibles and inner mouth. She'd usually just pick off a peice of her dinner and feed it to her inner mouth, but with larger things her mandibles would be used to feed her inner mouth by themselves.  
It was easy to her, natural to her, but to everyone else it was _off_ just slightly. She still swallowed and chewed then same, but her mandibles and inner mouth worked together like a whole and Diana payed very little attention to it.  
Until someone else did.

"It's okay Danni, I know I do eat a bit different." Diana smiled after swallowing a tomato stuffed pizza bit.

"But that's not the point. It's very bad manner's to point out racial differences. I just don't want him doing such when we have guests over. Telling them their racial differences. That and it's just plain rude and I thought I taught him better then that." Danni explained, Diana simply nodded in return.

"Still, my point stands too." She shrugged, leaning over Corbin. "_Rawr_!" She bellowed and Corbin screamed, racing to hide under the table.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Danni shook her head while everyone laughed, but kept a smile on.

"Come out Corbin and I'll eat _you_!" She growled playfully, "Yum, yum, yum! Didn't you know little boy is my favorite with pizza!" She growled, every now and then she purred on instinct.

"Oh, stop messing with him now!" Danni giggled, "He'll have nightmares."

"Okay then, come on up Corbin." Diana leaned back into her chair as Corbin cautiously climbed his way back into his seat, a wide open mouthed smile on his face. He knew she was just playing.

The laughter died down as they family finished their all hands in dinner and placed the dishes in the sink, cleaning up behind their flour, salt, vegetable mess induced by the preparing of their dinner.

Once cleaning was done, the family rested on the couch, Diana on the floor in front of the couch holding and playing with Corbin.

Nicolas aimed the still recording camera to the couch on the table next to the television set, he was quite sentimental.

Corbin was messing with Diana's piped hair, which to Diana felt strange and enacting a heightened sense at the same time it blurred her senses throwing her into a mix of excitement but was countered by her confusion as to why she began to feel a powerful thrill.

She had to get him to stop.

"Corbin stop." Diana removed his hand from her hair. Yet he went for it again, tugging harshly on the black thick pipes.

"Stop it." She tugged him away again.

Corbin yanked her air again, this time with more pipes. Involuntarily she began purring, confused at to why.

"I said stop it Corbin." She strongly held his arms down, but he remained persistent and struggled free grabbing as many pipes he could and yanking as hard as his child body could.

Diana, without realizing what possessed her to do such, roared as loud as she could causing the family to jump in shock and Corbin to jump off her Indian styled crossed legs and hide in his mother's arms.

It was clear outside that the roar could be heard from all around, birds flew away, squriels ran for cover and even Nicolas' dog hid in his dog house in the backyard.

The family sat wide eyed and stunned by the ear piercing roar and waiting for what Diana would do next.

They had never heard her roar before and were not even sure she could do such a thing so loudly.  
Previously Diana would roar, but as a child and it wasn't that loud or as powerful as the roar Diana had just demonstrated that second.

Not clear as to why they were shocked, if she could roar like a lion cub only a few years ago, why couldn't she roar like a lion years later?

Diana knew she could roar, but refused to do so. Thinking it was quite useless, there were other ways to display open discontent without scaring the living day lights out of the poor person.

At the moment, the only sounds were Corbin's crying and Danni's attempts to quiet him.

They were all sitting stiff, Diana's family knew they shouldn't be scared, but still were afraid of why she did such a thing.

Nicolas gulped, leaning an unsure hand forward onto Diana's shoulder and ever so slowly lowering himself down to her.

"D-Didi?" He asked, finally looking at her expression, which was just as shocked as them. She was waiting for them to move, to speak. She was scared.

"Niki." She replied, looking over to him, but not turning her head from it's bowed position.

"Why did you do that?" He asked, trying carefully to pick his words.

But Diana remained silent, her eyes shifting as if searching for the answer. Then, after a few minutes contemplation, she answered. "I... I don't know... He just kept pulling my hair and... I didn't mean to..." She slumped over further.

Nicolas reacted quickly and drew her into a hug and motioned for Danni to go out and put Corbin in his room, his crying unnerved Diana to where she was scared of him.

Danni retreated into Corbin's room and put him to bed as hastily as she could before rushing back into her bedroom, kneeling on the floor she reached under feeling around before finding it, dragging the heavy item out.

Wrapped in white paper, the large block Danni just pulled out from under the was thrown onto the bed where she fetched her laptop and set it atop the block, then lifted carefully and rushed back into the living room.

"Diana, here." Danni got her attention and set it on the ground in front of her.

Korrine and Harvey already giving words of comfort to their daughter turned and faced the block.

"What is it?" Harvey put a hand on it. "It's a rock?"

Nicolas smiled. "Yes and no. I think you'll find what's on it quite interesting though."

Nicolas began unwrapping the large block, ripping at the packaging paper until the front was visible.

Diana reached out first, turned it to face her properly and quickly deciphered the carving.

It was a creature, a strange long headed beast, a skeleton body with a spear-like tail aimed at it's enemy who stood in front of it.  
The enemy of the strange beast was a bit taller in presentation then the skeleton beast. It donned armour, or something close to armour, a spear and blades coming out of it's wrist. Two to be exact.  
The enemy looked strangely human, but to anyone looking close enough it was as clear as crystal that the carvers of the stone meant something else entirely. They gave it pointed fingers and toes, or at least as best as they could, they gave it cross markings, designs and finally a mask. Represented as wearing a mask that had no mouth or nose and the eyes were covered.  
A distinguishing feature was it's head and it's piped hair.

It had piped hair.

"Niki, where did you find this?" Diana turned and looked upon her uncles expression.

"When I was in Catalonia I went on a tour. There they took me past landmarks and tourist attractions but finally, the tour guide took us past ancient ruins." He explained, a smile spread on his face.  
"He said rumors have it that the ancient civilization in Brazil and Cataloina carved stories of their gods into the stone walls of their temples. I don't know if that's true, but I looked at that stone and I had to find more. Thankfully, the stone wasn't that large, it was broken off already so I just came back later with my backpack and stuffed it in." He chuckled.

"When Nicolas came home he showed me the stone and then we both searched all over the web for more. We found this." Danni past the laptop to Diana who briskly took it and examined the page.

"They call them Predators." Danni pointed out while Diana read the pages.

"And the other one is known as plenty of things, but from the looks of leaked information from Weyland, they are actually called _Xenomorphs_."

Harvey and Korrine both stared wide eyed at the page. Pictures, sightings, hidden information.

"This is why I couldn't find anything..." Diana spoke finally. "Because somebody was covering it up."

"Weyland Yutani Corporation." Nicolas informed.

Korrine and Harvey looked at one another. "W.Y.C!" Korrine cried. "That's what they were there for."

The trio, Diana, Danni and Nicolas turned to the couple. "Who?" Nicolas asked.

"Weyland Yutani Corporation. The day we found Diana, there were men spread out with "_W.Y.C._" on their shirts. It was that company, the same one there for weeks before disappearing then the government came in. But before they came in, Weyland Yutani left with something. It took an entire eighteen wheeler, the biggest one I've ever seen to this day. They left with something very large." Korrine spoke first, fluctuation between her and Harvey when explaining.

"That would make sense." Danni tapped her chin. "It has leaked information here about that very day." Diana looked around on the site, finally finding the link to the information.

"It says there was a crash in Newcastle, England. Three aliens found aboard, one female and two males... There was evidence of a child, but not much." Diana read quickly, her eyes darting side to side reading the report forum.

"Evidence of a child, my guess is it was Diana and those aboard, were her parents." Nicolas pointed out, scrolling down the page and clicking a picture.

Korrine and Harvey gasped.

It was the park. The same park where Harvey proposed, the same park Harvey and Korrine found Diana and it was three months before that date.

"The park was closed for three months, the first month the men with Weyland's logo on their shirts appear, roughly the second month there were government officials. Then lastly there were the construction workers." Harvey studied more to himself then telling anyone.

"And this." Nicolas reached again over Diana's lap and clicked again.

It was a list of pictures, evidence pictures of a large structure that was embedded into the ground, creating a crater.

"That wasn't there when we found Diana." Harvey narrowed his eyes, looking around the pictures Diana flipped through.

"No. That ship is probably what Weyland took off with. The big rig? That's probably what they took out." Danni chimed in.

"_Ship_?!" Diana's eyes went wide.

"It says interstellar ship. Space ship. Alien ship." Danni pointed out the parts.

"Even though we found this, there is no direct pictures or papers actually telling us anything beyond that it was alien. The alien comes in a space ship, meaning their from another planet. But that's it. Nothing more solid." Nicolas sighed. "No way we can actually tell if that's... If these _'aliens_' are in fact what you are Didi."

"It has to be, it's the same park, same year, only months before... Wait, what's this?" Diana hit a link, taking them to an evidence file.

Dian read aloud, "_There is evidence in the ship that suggest another life from the three we've found. Perhaps a youngling, or one of younger age then the three._" Diana smiled. "_We've found bits of alien equipment specifically meant to support child life of their race, however, we have not found the child on board the ship_."

Danni giggled. "Because Diana's just too smart for those guys."

"How did you get away though? The ship just crashed five hours before that report and the place was swarming with Weyland guys." Nicolas questioned and Diana shook her head.

"I fell..."

The family looked at Diana shocked. "I thought you couldn't remember that day?" Korrine asked.

"I couldn't but this found a to jog my memory..." She sighed. "I fell, I don't know what happened exactly, but I fell through metal and the next thing I can remember is landing on the snow. It was cold and I watched the ship go down, flame burning half the ship. I don't know how or why, but it crashed and I tried to make my way to the ship..." She shook her head.

"But, Weyland Corp. would've found you, how come they didn't?" Nicolas glanced to the computer then back to Diana.

"When I found the crash, I saw people crowded around it. They were waiting for it to crash, I think now they might have caused it." Diana leaned back onto the couch.  
"I hid in the bushes and trees when I saw people being wheeled out. Three. Probably the same aliens their talking about. I hid in the bushes, something felt wrong if I went to the crash, so I ran away from it and hid in the park."

"For three months?" Danni's eyebrows scrunched. "Without food or water?"

"Snow is water and I was hungry, but I didn't notice that much I guess. I can't really remember everything, it's still all a bit fuzzy." Diana smiled again. "But this is amazing. I've been looking for this for years."

Nicolas chuckled. "Guess what?"

Diana looked to Nicolas, turning from her parents gaze. "What?"

"They say there's a way to find them."

Diana's face brightened up instantly. "How?"

"In Brazil, they found an ancient temple, it's partially crumbled down now, but it's still there. No one goes near it anymore though, locals call it haunted. They say any person who's ever braved the temple has never came out alive." Nicolas made faces to emphasize the haunted temple.

"Sounds like something out of a B horror movie." Diana laughed.

"Exactly!" Nicolas joked. "They call it _'The __Hunter's Temple.'_"

* * *

_AAN: I want you readers to feel like a part in this story...  
So here it is:_

_I want you, any of you, to create a Yautja/human that you would like in the story._

_EX:  
_Name: Helen N. Ramirez.  
Age: 33.  
Sex: Female.  
Parents: Troy(father) and Carolina(mother).  
Siblings: None.  
Occupation: Police Officer.

OR

Name: Myk'il'ka.  
Age: 452.  
Sex: Male.  
Blooded Warrior. (not Elder yet)  
Son of: Ratav'ik(Father) and Nil'yut(Mother).  
Sibling(s): Trov'nan(younger brother), Wit'ik (older sister).  
Clan Elder(s): Ray'nav'yik(male), Cran'tov(male), Er'ak(female).

_That is just an example character, you can do all of that, clan, father, mother, siblings, clan elders. etc. If you don't want to do all of that, then I can fill in the blanks for you, simple as that.  
I will choose who I do desire as the Yautja main characters and the Yautja side characters, the same with the humans.  
Even if no one does this, it will not effect the out come of the story, nor how long it'll take to release chapters.  
Neither will it effect how long it'll take to incorporate the characters if anybody does do this._

_It's not nessacary, I just thought it would be fun for you to see your own characters in here._


	6. The Something and Decisions

_AN: Oh mai GAWD. I was so excited after finishing "_Real World Changes"_ most recent chapter that I couldn't contain the ultra-author-roll I was on!  
4,060 words in the last chapter of _"Real World Changes"_ and I was so proud because I actually made about two fight scenes that actually sounded quite animated (_to myself anyways..._) so I am going to continue my selfish pride and write this newest chapter for _"Stunning Encounters"_ with such a bright and mind blowing smile on my face that it hurts like hell._

_Well, continue!  
(_Oh dear God! When I started typing this chapter, I used my "Real World Changes" main character's name: Riya. It took my a full thirty seconds to go:  
"Wait... Riya doesn't know about Yautja's... and she _human_. Did I fuck this story up?" ... Yeah, needless to say I feel rather stupid now.)

... Does any one read my Author Notes? Or any other author's Author Notes?

_

* * *

_

Diana's eyes were closed, she didn't want to get up, she was exhausted.

Thankfully, Danni and Nicolas agreed to no work today because of their discovery last night... Yet something told Diana that never actually intended her do any work in the first place.

She sighed once the light shone through the curtains, beneath her eyelids she rolled her eyes and with a very alien growling sat up, streatched and threw her legs over the side of the bed.

Looking around she again took a second to actually realize she had spent the night with Danni and Nicolas. When she did remember it, she shook her head and jokingly slapped her forehead.

"No duh stupid..." She tiredly chuckled.

She stood, stretched again and walked out of the guest room and grudgingly walked in to the kitchen, fixing herself some basic eggs and swiss chard mixed in.

She took her plate to the table and ate silently, he mind lost in thought.

Diana remembered when they first learned that anything like soups or stews she couldn't eat. Mainly because she didn't have the mouth to hold the soup with, so they simply cooked from then on out finger foods or foods that require forks and knives, rather then spoons.

When she was younger, only a year after she began living with Korrine and Harvey, which she plainly called her parents now since they have been the ones raising her so far, she remembered thinking she was human herself, prancing around as a human child would do.  
She didn't act very alien for an alien.

As a child she wanted the same things, begged for the same toys, then proceeded to cry over not getting the same things. Tantrums were easy to deal with at first, but Diana gradually became stronger and quicker, then with her new found talents began causing chaos in the Beck household.

For months their house was constantly destroyed, it was only when Harvey began grounding her that she got the message.

No ripping the wallpaper off.

She would often growl and huff in her room when grounded or after being spanked, but after a few years she came to an understanding. She lashed out often because she never understood why she was different and after she realized she was in fact an alien or some other Earthly race not discovered by mankind yet, she would often smile to her parents and admit her disobedience's.

Also, Diana realized that when they grounded her or spanked her it was out of love, they wanted her to grow up properly, even through her differences from the human race, they wanted her to be a young lady all the same. Proper, respectful and caring. So far, they did a good job.

There were other times when discoveries were made.

Her first purr.

Korrine and Harvey were so shocked they stopped petting Diana's head or hand and stared. She vibrated with no more strength in the sound then of a kitten. Korrine and Harvey were stunned at first, but Diana closed her eyes while purring, creating this sappy house cat look and they laughed.

She purred often just to see them smile and giggle with amusement.

Korrine had discovered Diana had an affinity for climbing trees.

One day, out in the small backyard in their first house with Diana. Korrine was treating her flowers and Harvey was watering others, but then Diana came outside, explored what her parents were working on, then explored the open space and made a breakthrough to herself.

That tree.

It was _there_.

Korrine often asked now _why _she climbed the tree, she was young and heights should've scared her more.

But that was it. The tree was just _sitting_ there_, begging_ to be climbed.

Diana leaped up, using her developing talons to claw her way up the tree like a feline but not nearly as frightened as a normal cat.

Once she had reached the top, she came to the conclusion that she never wanted to get down. The view dragged her in willingly to marvel at it's beauty. Granted she was simply a child then and didn't know the true meaning of beauty then nor knew how to properly marvel at the sights, yet she knew she loved being high. Love sitting on top, being above everything else and she loved to death how the wind almost blew her off the branch but her taloned hands and feet locked her in place.

Diana couldn't help but feel a strange rush, a need for... _something_. She never knew what, but it felt right then that she had to do this _something_ and that it would require her entire body, her strength, cunning, and wits to do this _something_ and do it well.

For hours she simply stared out at the horizon, stiff as a board. She made no movement, only her piped hair went with the wind, aside from that, she was still. Not a muscle moved, it dared not, she felt as if whatever this _something_ was may be put off by her moving. She didn't want it to go away, she wanted to feel that _something _to embrace it and execute it with the same cunning she had taken akin to when scaling the tree.

Diana finished her breakfast put her plate away and stood there for a moment.

Lost in her thoughts.

Her race, a race that travels by ship? Amazing, her suspicions were correct, she was from an advanced race... But her primal drives scared her at times. She didn't know why she felt a strange sense of power, of control and a sudden rush of adrenalin, though she did and it drove her to insanity that she could figure out why. _Why, _she'd screamed at herself once a few years back, thinking of the liberating feeling.

"What happened?" She whispered to herself, then walked out of the kitchen.

After she began her obsessed climbing, using all her natural talents, she began exploring her limitations.

Vines. She saw movies where people would swing on vines for quicker travel, both cartoons and live action. Sometimes even on adventure channels that showed the watchers what to do if surviving in the forest or jungles. It would never come in handy to people, but it was still entertaining.

Diana had tested this theory, much to her parents dismay, and found she could in fact swing from vines to other trees.

Her parents had a heart attack every time she did that.

"Diana?" Danni came around the corner, shocking Diana.

"Oh-!" Diana spun around, upon seeing Danni she put a hand over her heart. "Good morning Danni." She giggled, embarrassed and Danni tiredly joined in.

"Morning Diana." Danni walked into the kitchen, poured some orange juice and leaned on the door frame.

Diana raised her mandibles and drew in her lower ones, dropping her head slightly. She created this pouting grin. "Danni? Oh Danni." She cooed, instantly Danni's alarm went off.

"What do you want?" Danni rolled her eyes.

"Hot coco." Diana whispered innocently and Danni laughed. "Fine, fine." Danni sighed. "Go sit, turn on the tele and I fix you some hot coco." Danni waved Diana off.

Diana did as instructed, she turned the heater on six, high and pulled it to the couch where she promptly sat and turned on the tele.

Again.

The same every time she tried to watch the tele. Nothing was on, nothing interesting anyways.  
She's usually partial to shows on the comedy channel, but after watching episodes of "A little bit of Fry and Laurie" on the Internet, she found just about any other comedy sitcom useless.  
Well, that but Monty Python was pretty good and as for sci-fi, her being a sci-fi lover, Doctor Who satisfied her tastes. Yes she understands the sets are rather... _sad_ and obvious, but she enjoys the story for the story and nothing else.

She could never catch her shows when they are on, _ever_, she felt rather targeted.

"Here you are." Danni walked in with the cup (with pour tip) and gave it to Diana.

"Thanks Danni." She cautiously sipped the hot coco, being careful so as to not burn herself at the same time not to spill the sugary drink from her inner mouth.

"Don't mention it." Danni sat down.

A silence swept over them, neither one really even moved were it not for Diana drinking and her aunts always moving fingers.

Diana knew Danni was hoping to hear Diana's reaction from last night, hoping that somehow what they had found actually helped and though it did, Diana wasn't sure exactly what to think of it.

Weyland, aliens, space ships. She was practically an alien off of her Doctor Who show that she'd always see the Doctor and his assistant, Diana had always been partial to the newer series with Christopher Eccleson or David Tennant with Billie Piper.

Diana sighed, pulling her legs up beneath her and holding the mug of chocolate liquid in both hands, resting the base on her leg, instantly warming it.

"Thank you Danni, for last night..." Diana glanced to her aunt, but wishing not to keep the gaze. "I feel better knowing then I did not knowing but... I guess that was expected... I just feel a bit... _strange_now. My race comes from space. I am an alien. It's not every person who gets to say that." Diana joked, Danni didn't really join in, she knew her niece was trying to be factual and serious.

"Don't mention it." Danni smiled, scooting a bit close to Diana. "It was our pleasure. When Nicolas came back and told me everything I almost couldn't stop myself from shouting it over the phone, it was quite exciting!" Diana giggled.

"And I understand, not in _that _way, but I understand that it will be strange for you for a little while. I thought you were better off knowing. That's all." Danni patted and rubbed Diana's shoulder.

"I feel better, it's an odd better, but it's still better. Thanks." Diana smiled, this time looking directly at her aunt.

"Don't mention it."

They sat in silence, yet better then the last, it was quiet and peaceful. A thankful silence.

* * *

It took a few days to finish the chores around the house, but finally everything was put into place, there were no more boxes laying around pointlessly. No more out of place accents.

All perfect.

Danni had collapsed herself across the couch, cheering happily. "We did it!" She'd cry.

On the last day Diana was headed home, after giving heartfelt thanks and goodbye's that family separated.

The ride home was the same as the ride to their relatives. Uneventful.

Korrine and Harvey had been talking constantly about the discovery Danni and Nicolas had made. Catalonia was a ways away and they were not exactly rich. Nicolas would've happily lent them the money... Had he not gone to Catalonia a few weeks ago.

Harvey had suggested a loan of sorts from the bank, but they knew if they did they couldn't pay it back and causing financial difficulties would only hurt their trip and make Diana feel guilty, in both cases it was not looking good.

At the end of the day, the couple decided to ask Diana about it, she what she wants to do or she if she has any ideas regarding the matter.

Diana herself had been thinking about it and talking to Danni and Nicolas about it. Neither seemed to know exactly what to do, how to get Diana down to Catalonia was beginning to become something close to a puzzle that had lost pieces and the player was now attempting to create makeshift pieces to fill in the blanks.

Nicolas had actually explained he would try and get the money from his foster parents, them being exceptionally wealthy, but they did not know Diana and therefore it would be hard to explain why Korrine and Harvey needed _three_ tickets and if he told them another relative was going with them, then they'd want to know everything. His parents were quite the nosey couple.

Diana declined the offer, she didn't want Nicolas to have bad blood between him and his parents.

It took the entire three days Diana stayed at their relatives house for Korrine and Harvey to come to a decision.

Diana now rested on the living room couch, this time playing an old card game with Korrine and Harvey.

They all took their time to play their cards, it was slow but entertaining when one of the members groaned about making a mistake or mentioned how "_The card I need is the last card that shows up, wouldn't y'know it!_" which came along quite often.

Overall, Korrine was winning.

Harvey, playing around, would purposefully get caught when "_cheating_." Even though he made sure Korrine or Diana caught him doing so, just for kicks.

Diana herself was in a tie with Harvey, neither one of getting a hand above the other and so focused on each other that it made it all so easier for Korrine to win.

Though during the game, it clocked ticked in alarm.

(_8:30 PM_)

Korrine and Harvey shared a glance before turning back to Diana, putting their cards face down.

"Diana?"

Diana's eyes shot up from her cards to see her parents watching her. "Yeah?"

"We want to talk with you about what Nicolas found." Korrine smiled.

In return, Diana smiled, her mandibles moving to form her expression of a smile. "I wanted to also. Talk and play." She pulled from the face down stack and replaced her top right card with a Queen of Hearts and placed the old card on the face up pile.

"Well, Harvey and I have been talking about it for a few days now, about how to get you to Catalonia without going bankrupt." Korrine giggled, Diana and Harvey just smiled on while she took a top card, examined it, and put it in the discarded pile. It wasn't the card she wanted. "We've tried different things, researched every way we could. Loan, barrow, save. We've finally decided." Harvey explained this time, taking his turn. He took the top card, an Ace of Clubs, he replaced on of his six face down cards and threw the old card in the discarded pile.

"We called Nicolas earlier about his parents lending us the money, he agreed to ask them."

Diana shook her head. "Nicolas said they'd ask questions, why there is a need of three tickets for two people. We've talked about it and we thought it'd be best against it." Diana took the old card of Harvey's, a Two of Diamonds, she matched it with another Two of Spades in her six cards and threw the old card in the discarded pile.

Harvey's turn to shake his head. "We came up with a different idea."

Korrine pulled the top card, a King of Spades, she replaced a face down card and threw the old in the discarded pile.

"It'll be just you and me." Korrine's smiled turned to a Motherly soft smile.

Harvey took the old card Korrine discarded and replaced a Ten of Clubs with the old card; a Four of Diamonds.

"We will hear from Nicolas in a couple of days, he'll give us the news whether or not his parents lend us the money or not." Korrine explained, watching as Harvey pulled an Ace of Hearts of the top of the face down pile.

"One more!" He cheered. Five of his six faced down cards were already rearranged, all matched but the center which had one faced down.  
Two matching Queens, two Fours and one Ace, above it the faced down card.

Diana and Korrine gulped, they both had two faced down cards, not all matched as they were supposed to.

"Anyways..." Korrine tore her eyes from Harvey's self-praise. "We've decided that once we get the money, you and me are going. We'll tell Nicolas' parents it's Harvey and I."

Diana sighed. "But what about you Dad? I wanted you to come too." She made a her pouting face after placing a card down.

"It's better this way, I'd go if I could but... It's best if you and Korrine went. She's understand this kind of digging more, I'm not so talented at it and besides down in Catalonia Nicolas knows a few people, they'll get you two discounts on rooms thinking that it's a Mother and her Daughter but they know not to ask questions, we've talked about that." Harvey insisted. "I'll be fine, I'm old, you know I have hip problems. I'll only slow you down."

Diana gave a sad but thankful look, it seemed as though she was doing that often.

"When will we hear from Nicolas?"

Korrine and Harvey looked at each other, as if in a silent conversation. "We don't know, he just said _in a few days_." Korrine answered. "So keep listening for the phone Diana." Harvey smiled.

"I win."

Korrine and Diana's eyes shot wide, looked at his cards.

Sneaky.

He had finished when Korrine wasn't think about exactly what she was placing down and Harvey got the card he wanted.

"Oh dang!" Diana rolled her eyes. "I just keep loosing!" She growled playfully.

* * *

_**blood shifter2: **Yay plot device! I know, I had too much fun writing that. I promise though, I won't keep you waiting too much longer for the first encounter! _


	7. Expectations

_AN: No author's note! :D_

_

* * *

_

**_Two years later..._**

Diana was giddy.

Beyond giddy in fact, she was so hyper she spoke fast and practically teleported around the house.

Today was the day. Today was the plane ride.

No, not plane, _jet_.

After Nicolas attempted to convince his parents it was just Korrine and Harvey that needed the money, his parents were suspicious and denied it until such time as they told them the truth.

Nicolas' parents caught on due to Nicolas' recent travel then all of a sudden Korrine and Harvey wish to go.

His parents were rich and by far the snobbiest people around, but they weren't dumb.

It took almost a year before they decided to introduce Diana.

Nicolas' parents died.

Upon seeing Diana, they both reacted with wide eyes and a stunned expression.

Not shunning Diana though, they asked her everything she knew, everything about her and finally they came to a decision. It took one and a half years for them to agree.

They would lend their jet to them so instead of just Diana and Korrine, it was Diana, Korrine and Harvey.

Harvey told them someone had to stay, earn money and pay the bills since they find well couldn't do so in Catalonia.

Nicolas' parents insisted and paid for everything.

After two years, Nicolas' parents had set up the trip, paid, packed and ready to fly.

Diana had been so excited for the last few months after Nicolas' parents agreed that she did nothing but check the website Nicolas and Danni discovered.

Strangely enough, things began appearing and disappearing on the site, then again, it was a site holding classified papers and information on a worldwide famous company.

A company she would rather shut down then in order.

"Tilly!" Korrine called, snapping Diana out of her room with her laptop, downstairs and staring straight at Korrine.

"Are you ready?" She asked, Diana nodded furiously. "I'm _so _ready! Are we leaving now?!" She began hopping up and down, hands clasped in front of her as she resembled a cartoon character.

"Yes, we're leaving." Korrine answered, at that second Diana purred and squealed at the same time. Sounding much like a cat that purred and cried for food at the same time.

"Everything in the car?" Diana nodded. "What about snacks?" Diana again nodded, both fast.

"Get out there then." Korrine giggled as Diana darted off to the car, laptop in hand and took her place back seat, left hand side.

Diana couldn't sit still, she jumped, bumped and giggled like a school girl, she just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Come on! Let's _go_!" She groaned, smiling so hard it ached.

Harvey laughed as Korrine took her place in the passenger seat. "Well, you heard her." Harvey backed out of the drive way.

"Maybe we should wait a little while longer... You know, make sure we're prepared." Harvey put on his serious face, Korrine looked his way a bit confused then turning into a serious face as well.  
"I understand that, maybe we should." Korrine nodded.

Diana sat behind Harvey, she shot up holding the seat tightly with her taloned hands. "No! Nooooow!" She cried.

Korrine and Harvey burst out laughing. "I know, it was just a joke!" Harvey continued his heavy laughter as he drove down the streets.

It would take a good three hours to reach the private air strip, because it was so private.

Along the way Diana noticed she was in a part of town she had never been in before. Of course, they were taking a new route.

Observing the landscape before her, Diana grew only more excited. The open pastures she could see would never look the same to her again after she returns from Catalonia.

She sighed, a dreamy far off look in her eyes as she imagined all the things she would discover when she arrived in Catalonia.

Nicolas often described Catalonia, more often the surrounding jungles and then overall he would explain Brazil. Diana listened intently to every story of his childhood, of every land mark and every last bit of roads, buildings and all around just _places_.

Nicolas had Diana so worked up to go that she would do nothing but search Catalonia on her laptop, study throuoghly the maps and places of interest.  
She had printed out various sheets of maps and snapshots. Diana couldn't do much more to prepare for anything.

Diana once found a picture of ruins, small ruins but nonetheless ruins. Carved into it was a language she couldn't exactly tell was a written language until she searched for more ruins and pieces around the Internet.

She had discovered links to ancient cultures, Mayan and Aztec became the most frequent pop ups while she searched. The language was mixed, therefore she had no way to understand what both her stone she received from Nicolas was or the stone in the photos.

However, even though Diana knew she couldn't, she knew her Mother had talent in the field.

Before marrying, Korrine took a job as an Archaeologists assistant. He studied cultures surrounding African, Native American and some in South America, thankfully that meant he knew at least some of the inscriptions and in turn that meant Korrine knew how to read at least little of the language even though all she did was write down when he translated.  
She took her time to become a great assistant, passing with flying colours, she eventually became just that.

Korrine worked for multiple Archaeologists, some specifying in the field of Russian, ancient civilizations and some were simply people who catalogued and archived all findings for the government... _American_ government. She doubled in both arenas, she worked for British officials and American, since both were important to the discoveries.

However, the photograph was to muddled to read and the stone was to damaged.

Diana would receive no answer until Catalonia.

The two years were a grueling experience for Diana, waiting to find out if Nicolas' parents would pay? After that if they would react badly to her? And finally when would it be?

Those two years took their toll on Diana, she was tired more often, exhausted every few months. She was simply excited to hear more from Nicolas' parents, and on top of that she was worried she'd never go.  
Every day was wearing her down, her emotions ran wild and free, without any end in sight.

Diana may be giddy right now, both out of tiredness and excitement.

And now, they were on their way to Catalonia.

The SUV slowed to a halt, turning onto a secluded road with "_Private Airstrip: Identification and Invitation must be shown to the gate guard._"

Whomever Nicolas' parents were, they were very wealthy.

Again, the SUV stopped but this time at a gate. "Stay hidden Tilly." Korrine whispered as the driver's window rolled down, a guard became visible just as Diana pulled up her hood and slumped down, for added effect she turned her head the other way.

"Identification please." The guard asked, Harvey did as asked and passed his licence.

A moment pasted before the guard gave it back.

"Invitation slip?" He asked and he received just that.

The guard nodded and gave the slip back. "Everything checks out, have a good flight Mr. Beck."

The guard hit a red button on the wall next to him. A loud noise sounded off, much like an alarm clock, and the gate slowly opened up.

"Here we are!" Korrine chimed, a smile spreading across her face. "I can't wait, drive faster Dad!" Diana cried, laughing.

"We'll get there when we get there."

"Well yeah, I certainly hope so... I mean, unless we fall through a hole in the fabric of reality." Diana joked, Korrine replied by playfully tapping Diana's knee, the one she could reach.

Soon, the already driving slowly SUV, came to a complete stop and the sounds of a jet engine finally came into ear shot.

Nicolas and Danni had promised to see them off so they, along with Nicolas' parents, were already waiting.

Diana leaped out of the car and ran up to Nicolas and Danni, taking them both in a bear hug.  
"Oof!" Danni coughed. "It's good to see you too Diana." She laughed, Nicolas just hugged back laughing.

"I can't wait to get there, I've been studying and everything. I packed lightly, er, well as lightly as _I_ could." She giggled, pulling back from the hug.

Diana turned to face Nicolas' parents.

"Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Jakeman. I really do appreciate this. All of this." She smiled and the older couple simply nodded.

They seemed to be the typical wealthy couple, dressed nice, stood straight, addressed everyone formally. They even spoke formally, _all the time_.

"You are welcome Diana, however, come back fruitful and we will fund your next trip." Mr. Jakeman grinned a hallow grin. Something was very offsetting about the couple.

"I will, I promise. From the looks of it, there's no chance I can't." She giggled.

Mr. Jakeman offered his hand, "Well then, good luck." Diana took his hand and shook gently, repeating the offering with Mrs. Jakeman. "Yes, have a good trip." Mrs. Jakeman nodded, taking back her stoic stance as well as Mr. Jakeman.

"Come on then Tilly, we better get set up to go." Korrine called, Diana simply flinched, unsuspecting of the sudden call, and took off.

They spent almost an hour packing their already light load into the jet and finally when the staff left the family was heading on the steps up to the jet.

Korrine and Harvey had prolonged goodbyes, Diana had said hers and was insisting that they come at once to take off. She wanted to see Catalonia so bad she could only think of the things she could find there.

What race she was and what their culture is. Were they tribal as she had previously thought, or were they advanced like the human civilizations.

She was so caught up in what she might find there that she also trained herself, subconsciously, to not expect what she would really find in Catalonia.

* * *

_AN: Haha! Made you look! You thought there was no Authors Note. Well tough!  
Next stop; Catalonia!_

_**Blood shifter2: **Haha! You're more like a cat then Diana is! And she can purr!  
Ah well, I love the reviews you give me even though you are my only reviewer (and wicked falcon) I still feel supported at least slightly to keep this up and running. Just enough so that I may, in fact, speed up when Diana meets her own race!_

_Wow, I feel like I'm holding a juicy bone above a half starved dogs head just for kicks. :3_


	8. Catalonia and The Hunter's Temple

_AN: Phew! I finished my Transformers newest chapter... It took forever and since I take turns writing chapters for each of these stories when I take too long on one the other suffers twice as much..._

_So here it is. The long awaited; Catalonia._

_Ah, yes and I guess I should start doing this:_

**Disclaimer: **_I do not, nor have I ever claimed, to own the idea of Aliens vs Predator, Predator, or Alien in general. All belong to their respective creators as well as producers, managers, etc. etc. You know the drill, every story on FF has it... I wish I owned them, I'd be stinking rich, dressed up as a Yautja Warrior running around scaring the shit out of people by jumping out of the shadows at midnight._

_

* * *

_

Exploring the new world was the best adventure Diana ever had so far. She had exited the jet, they unpacked, given the same lonesome abode that Nicolas had on his return.

It was a small cabin down a long, muddy road. Littered with large and small rocked, driving their rental was quite the cautious task.

There was a small town a little ways from them, for safety purposes on Korrine and Harvey's part.

It became obvious that Diana could no longer wait in the cabin to discover more news on the carved stone Nicolas had found.

Like the day they discovered Catalonia's relativity to Diana's race, they planned a camping trip out of the cabin and into the forested around located around the small homey cabin.

After unpacking clothes and the necessary accoutrement's, Harvey and Diana went out to plan the camping trip.

Korrine stayed at home to gather the needed supplies such as edibles and clean water.

Harvey insisted that the camping paths should be planned out carefully and with Diana's size and amazing natural ability with her machete, they took to the tall trees, investigating the scenery and area around their planned paths.

After tracing themselves a path, Diana spoke nothing but of the beauty Korrine would be in the following day when they took the real camping trip with Korrine.

Naturally, there were some offsets.

The camping trip was pushed back two days after a surprise visit from the _rental man_.

Diana was almost caught five times when he arrived the first day, she had only one second to hide before the man, now known as Lucas Jansen, entered.

Lucas said he'd been living in Catalonia for over ten years, tending to the Tourists in hopes to drag them away from the more private villages around Catalonia so as to keep Brazil's smaller, unknown villages in their peace and quiet.

He also claimed to come from Chicago and that he hated the noise of the city, or any city for that matter, and has always wanted to see Brazil.

Luckily for him, his move into Catalonia was fruitful. He earned a good job, married, and had two children. Both son's, their names were David and Oscar and after the two days past he and Harvey grew a slight bit closer together, taking away from acquaintances to friends. Not very close friends, but they got along very well together.

Often, he came close to discovering Diana when she hid in the house, but Korrine and Harvey were able to drag him away.

Finally, on the third day, Lucas had other work to pay attention to and Korrine, Harvey and Diana ventured out on their camping trip.

It thrilled Diana to be out in the jungle, taking in the area before her, the animals running wild and the musical sounds of the forest which could also be described as mysterious.

She purred the entire way while Korrine and Harvey traveled aside her.

Korrine and Harvey were given one rather large old satellite phone by Lucas just in case since he knew they planned on camping out.

The area had often been described as beautiful and all but Diana and Harvey's clunky backpacks disrupted it, however, to Diana it added a sort of adventurous essence that seemed to catch Harvey and Korrine at the worse times. Constantly having to remind Diana that this was an unfamiliar jungle that needed to be taken seriously rather then running off and getting lost.

Reluctantly, Diana obeyed and stayed with them, only occasionally going out of sight for a quick tree climb or vine swing which worried Korrine and Harvey to no extent.

Eventually, the trio reached their destination; a small secluded area location directly next to a waterfall. Not a large cliff-side one, but a good three and a half storey's high. Enough for Diana, who since exploring the camping area days prior, would dress in her swim suit and dive off of.

Korrine and Harvey stayed content with just relaxing on the edge of the water or swimming peacefully around.

Diana would try constantly to get Korrine and Harvey to participate in her antics, however, the much older couple would refuse when it came to jumping off the waterfall into the water or diving too low into the water.

After days past in the jungled land, Korrine, Harvey and Diana had their camping fun, but all agreed it was time to get back to the real reason they traveled to Catalonia.

Harvey had bought a map and marked a path to _The Hunter's Temple_, as it was called, and the trio backed their bags, curled their tents and moved on to the so-called _Temple_.

Along the way the three had found themselves lost in the tropical beauty that surrounded them so fully.

Wildlife often snuck up on Korrine and Harvey and frightened them, they knew forests like this were infested with poisonous animals and came prepared, although it never stopped them from being shocked when a snake dropped from a branch, or some strangely large insect climbed up a tree close to them.

It became apparent that this _Temple _hid a exactly what Diana had been seeking out for so long.

To Diana's description and due to her young age and lack of vocabulary yet, she would simply see this and describe this Temple as; _lopsided._

Almost it's entire left side was crumbled. It became a mix of natural overgrowth and collapsed stone. It was probably only held standing by the vines and plants, which was how Diana figured it. Nature doubling as mortar.

Korrine immediately began surveying the carvings, the language in the stone was too hard for her to translate perfectly. Korrine identified a few written languages, however, most could not be read which led to much information being lost.

Many of these carvings were stories on the walls as Korrine would explain them to be, would have the large, and supposedly related to Diana's race, people fighting equally large skeleton monsters that they had examined on the stone Nicolas brought back from Catalonia with him.

Various writings and scenes that were carved came to translated as a _Young ones journey to manhood._At least, that's what Korrine could roughly translate.

Other writings expelled outsiders from entering the crumbling temple, which the trio happily obliged since it appeared that just tapping it's walls would cause it to turn into dust.

* * *

Diana yawned, a thrill echoing outside her tent.

"Good morning Tilly." Korrine said outside Diana's tent, "Morning Mum." She crawled out, stretching. "Morning Dad."

"Sleep well?" Harvey asked, pouring himself and Korrine a cup of cold tea to counter the tropical heat. "Yes, and you two?" She replied, earning an even brighter smile from both her foster parents. "Very much so, thank you Tilly." Korrine sipped her tea, "Likewise. I haven't slept that well in years and I spent it on a forest floor! It must be all that noise back home." Harvey shook his head grinning.

"Tea?"

"Please." Diana took a seat on one of the blankets set out around the extinguished fire place of last night's supply of warmth and light.

Harvey took out another mug from the backpack behind him and poured Diana a glass, handing it with a smile. "Thanks Dad." She carefully sipped it, "Anytime, love." He nodded and drank his own tea.

"So, where to today?" Diana asked, after spending a few quiet moments listening to the natural habitat around them.

"See if we can't find more warning stones outside the temple, see if I can translate them, if not, catalogue them. Just basic studies today, nothing adventurous." Korrine answered while placing her now empty glass back into the backpack.

"Hmm." Diana smiled, "What's for breakfast?"

Korrine laughed, knowing Diana always had a big stomach. "Egg's. Lot's of eggs." She replied and Diana groaned, unfortunately it came out as a light feline cry and a purr. "I _hate_ eggs." She growled shortly after whining.

"Well, it's healthy and it's what we planned for this morning so it's either eggs or nothing at all. And I promise you, you'll need the energy." Harvey explained.

Harvey stood and walked to the pile of wood they had gathered, throwing kindle on the burned out wood and lit up the blackened space, optimal for cooking eggs quickly.

"Thankfully, eggs aren't that hard to cook and don't take long. Make the best of it, love." Harvey smirked playfully and Diana rolled her eyes.

For the next twenty minutes the trio ate to their hearts content, silently admiring the small yet filling breakfast prepared for them. Diana disliked eggs, yet understood energy was needed for her current day's activities.

Once Diana had finished her breakfast (which she had rushed through so as to avoid the taste of eggs as best as she could) she stood, put her plate away into the backpack and faced her parents, her top mandibles drawn into a very clear smile.

"Can I go for a walk? I want to climb some more trees and I know how you hate watching me do that." Diana begged, Harvey chuckled.

"_May_I go for a walk." Korrine corrected.

Diana sighed, "_May_ I go for a walk? Please?" She begged again, slumping down, insisting on her parents to agree.

Korrine looked to Harvey who tilted his head in reply.

"For a little bit, but Harvey and I will be ready in thirty minutes, be back by then and we'll go searching for stones again." Korrine said, standing up herself.

Diana jumped, hugging Korrine then Harvey. She turned to her tent, undressing her sleep wear for her _adventure_ wear as she deemed them.

She wore the typical khaki shorts, dark brown sleeveless tank top with a khaki coloured protective jacket even though she would only remove it again when climbing a tree.

With her specially sized shoes tied up and her gloves on, she picked up her backpack which was for emergencies, and walked out of the small tent.

"Be back in thirty!" She cheered, jogging out of the camp.

"Put the timer on your watch!" Korrine called after her just as Harvey finished cleaning up and stocked their supplies safely away from reach of wildlife.

"She's in an awful rush this morning. She's not usually so glad to be woken this early and we're all still recovering from jet lag... And the time switch." He smiled, watching Diana disappear into the forested land with her machete, cutting down potentially harmful briers and bushes. Or just ones in the way.

"Tilly is just excited, no doubt tired from the jet lag. She just want's to explore as much as she can before we leave, that's all." Korrine calmed her concerned husband.

"I know and I'm not actually worried... I have never seen her so, as you put it, excited but I guess that is to be expected."

"Of course!" Korrine cried, "We may have just discovered Tilly's _race_. Anybody would be excited, nay, exhilarated at this quite revolutionary uncovery. No one had ever experienced this." She smiled, placing a reassuring hand on Harvey's shoulder.

"I know, but those Weyland people have. They know about this all..." Harvey sighed, "I'm not worried that she excited like this, I'm just worried she may become reckless, expecting too much..." He trailed off, turning to Korrine and taking her hands in his own.  
"I'm afraid she won't find what she's looking for and that she'll be heartbroken by it. Even worse, what if she expects so much but returns with little more then a stone with some unintelligable carvings. Or what if her race isn't what she hoped them to be?" He questioned.

Korrine smiled softly, taking her husbands face in her hands.

"She understands all of this. Tilly's a smart young woman, she knows she may never find what she truly wants."

"What if she does?" Harvey's gaze turned down, "I don't want to loose her."

With a content sigh on a comforting smile, Korrine kissed her husband. "You will never loose Tilly. She loves you far too much and you and I know her, she would never get ahead of herself." She hugged Harvey.

"You're right. Tilly's smarter then that, I should never doubt her." He gave Korrine a peck on her cheek, "Or you."

* * *

_AN: Be prepared! The Yautja are to appear... So. Very. _Soon!  
_Well, this was short but to the point I hope... I realize my flow is a bit... off... Okay! Okay! Very off, I'm not a talented writer, in fact, I can draw comics better then write fics. I should really do that based off_ Stunning Encounters_... Maybe some day.  
In the meantime, I want all you readers to know I will keep you waiting no longer! The _Warriors_ appear..._ Tonight!

_**Blood Shifter2:** Oh dear, you appear to have just hit the nail on the head! The minute I told you that your reviews kept me going, I received two new reviewers. You're so my lucky charm! -hugs!-  
Ah yes, the infamous question. (W_ell, you didn't question but just mention the support towards not abandoning this story..._) I could never, would never and no matter what will profusely _refuse. _Refuse! To abandon this story even if you were my only reader on the whole of FF. I know more are to appear over time and I accept that so I try to work harder so as to keep the readers searching for _AVP_ stories interested in_ Stunning Encounters_, or at least to become interested._

_**Tigger79: **Foosh! Their in Catalonia! Bask in the glory that is!... Is... Uhh... The blazing heat? Heh heh. ^^;; Glad you enjoy it so far!_

_**GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK: **O. Mai. Gawd. I love you. I do, I truly, honestly, cross my heart and hope to die, love you.  
Alha'uxi is perfect! I know where I want to use him in...  
Oh yes! And I promise all credit will go to you! I will make sure that is mentioned _repeatedly_so you get the credit. Only you. I'm not interested in plagerisim! :D  
You have allowed me to borrow him at the perfect time, I was hoping to receive a Yautja exactly (_which was kinda creepy when you reviewed and he was there... It was like you read my mind! Haha!_) like Alha'uxi. He's marvelous.  
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!_


	9. Inside The Hunter's Temple

_AN: The long awaited chapter... I hope this meets every last one of your hopes!_

_**Disclaimer:**AVP belongs to whomever thought of it. I don't know who. I'm terrible with names, but I'm gunna' go kill him and steal his identity... Kinda' hard for a chic to do, but I'll figure it out!_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Infernochinchilla.  
GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
They will be named in later chapters, to which they will be named to their creators.  
Thank you, Riya and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_

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_

The rush of climbing high in the trees and relishing in the feeling of falling even though there was a planned and safe landing.

Diana loved it, she felt free in this environment. Somehow, it felt like she belonged in the tall trees, like she was born to dive in the deep lakes and explore the dark caves.

With such a thrill that felt oddly natural to her, Diana rushed through the jungle, taking advantage of every natural habitat she could. Of course, avoiding the markings that suggested large predator territory.

With a run and jump, Diana landed on another thick branch. Smiling, she gripped a vine and swung across that small opening and once reaching the end of the swing, Diana lept off of it and landed safely on the ground while the vine lightly swayed side to side before stopping completely.

Taking in yet another cleansing breath, Diana jogged briskly through the forests, cutting down the large branches that she would run into with her machete.

Her area consumed her, along with the pure essence there was sounds. Much like Mother Nature's own soundtrack.

Birds would sing, although quickly silenced when Diana came near. Their flapping wings and their calls of fear caused by Diana, the foreign interference, which frightened them away.  
Then there were other sounds, snakes and insects among them but that was the background, the powerful and attractive songs came from the much larger wildlife.

Creatures in the area seemed to range from assorted breeds of primate, some of birds of prey and a growling sound that sounded much like a larger predator. However, every time that sound became louder, Diana would slowly and cautiously move away from it, thinking it could very well be something like a large cat in the bushes.

It would seem that in the circle of life, there was no jump in the ring. Until humans came along and invented machines to protect them.

Like the alarm of a watch.

_(Beep! Beep! Beep!)_

The urgent tone snapped Diana harshly out of her fantasy world and brought her back to reality.

"Oh bloody hell! I'm late." She cursed, seeing that she was out well over thirty minutes.

Taking a moment to think up the fastest path back, Diana checked her compass and darted off to the camp site.

While she had no earlier troubles cutting down the jungle plants, she now apologized to the greenery along her hurried path.

Before she felt like a tribal woman, a native to the jungle, like a large feline prowling her territories or a queen of the jungle and was then surveying her land for intruders. Now she was reminded what she was there in the jungle lands for exactly and unfortunately, she will arrive late and her parents will be less then pleased.

Diana was after all a child to them, age wise. Even though she was usually responsible, she'd have to apologize not only to the plants she cut down but to her parents profusely.

"I'm back! I'm back! I'm sorry I'm late." Diana panted, bending down and resting her torso weight on her knees.

"I just got caught up, y'know me I-" Diana stood up pointing her thumb in the direction she came from only to be stopped mid-sentence when she snapped her eyes wide open and observed the camp site.

"-The hell?" She looked around, walking cautiously deeper into the camp.

The tents were demolished, flattened on the ground almost buried into the dirt. The fire Harvey cooked with was out, even though that was slightly expected, and the backpacks were still there, that of which was not expected.

Diana stepped lightly, as if expecting a trap.

She lifted the backpack, opening it and shifting through it's insides. Strangely, every last bit was still in place. Including Korrine and Harvey's _adventure_wear that they wore when venturing into the jungle. Protects them from bugs and briers. Korrine and Harvey would never leave without them on.

Diana quickly remembered they attempted to convince her to wear long pants and long sleeves rather then what she picked, but after discovering bugs would not bite her and briers would not hurt her half as much as it would to them, she kept her shorts and tank top, though complying with a jacket.

Swiftly, Diana felt fear shot through her.

Where could they have gone without their protective gear? Or the camera in that case? Even if Diana could come up with a reason for that, why were the tents torn and tossed carelessly down?

What is _that_?

Diana bent down, ripping a metal dagger-like object out of the ground. "Mum? Dad?" She called, seething the dagger into her belt and took off her jacket, quickly reacting to her sudden fear, she stood defensively, scanning the area thoroughly.

Nothing.

Not even Mother Nature's soundtrack was playing.

Diana scanned the camp, then after searching through the mess she looked up and a light went off in her head. The Temple.

Diana shot up, running faster then she had ever run in her life, caring not about dodging the branches, briers and plants that clawed at her mercilessly. Earning a few bruises, sore spots and cuts, Diana ran her way through the jungle and to the Temple in hopes to discover that Korrine and Harvey were there, even if there were signs of danger at the camp, maybe they ran and made it safely to the Temple.

Breaking various natural plant life and snapping some rather large branches in half, Diana spotted something.

Coming to a halt that was by far less graceful then an eighteen wheeler trying to stop on a dime in a hurricane, Diana snatched the piece of note worthy cloth out of the jungle branches.

It was Korrine's hair bandanna. She wore it every morning they spent in Catalonia, why Diana never knew, she just did and Diana loved it. To her it gave Korrine a look that was very _her_, which was confusing to understand by anyone else besides Korrine, Harvey and Diana herself. Diana simply meant it matched Korrine, who she was.

The sky blue and white lined bandanna was torn, small holes formed in the thin material.

Diana growled, sniffing the fabric, the smell held her own, Korrine's own and Harvey's. Then there was another, an unknown one that was powerful even on the thin material.

Turning back to face the makeshift path the family trio had made, Diana rushed again through the now green blurs until she reached the Temple grounds.

She searched hard through the area local to the Temple.

Diana stopped, taking a deep breath she claimed herself and took the bandanna up, sniffing it again, it almost acted like a flashing neon arrow in one direction in her adrenalin drunk state.

In the Temple.

Gulping, shaken from her rush, Diana slowly crossed the large clearing in front of the Temple.

Quickly her angered adrenalin died and a fearsome one crept up on her.

She did not want to venture into the dark, crumbling Temple, however it seemed she had no choice. The unknown third smell and Korrine's smell led into the Temple... Although, Harvey's led next to the Temple.

Just realizing the change in direction, Diana looked over to the left, crumpled side of the Temple, and like the scent pointed out, there was Harvey.

"Dad!" Diana bolted to his side.

Harvey was sitting on the ground, leaning against the Temple wall. "Diana!" He gasped.

"What happened? I saw the camp and I thought I'd find you here." Diana looked Harvey over, spotting he had new bruises and cuts littered carelessly over his body. "What's done this to you?" Diana's hands helped Harvey face her.

"I don't... know what... attacked us. There were invisible. I tried to fight back but... They took Korrine after they dragged us both here. I'm not sure why, they never said anything." Harvey coughed.

"In the Temple?"

"Yes, I fought back and so did your Mother, but they were... huge." His eyes visibly widened, "They were too strong, but I managed to hurt one. Needless to say, whatever they were they still had the same weakness as any mans." He chuckled, though his breathing restricted him from doing so anymore after a first few smiles.

"Kicked 'em where the sun doesn't shine. Love ya' Dad." Diana giggled, just the thought was funny. "But why did they drop you here? Why didn't they take you with Mum?"

"I don't know... I think I pissed them off too much."

Diana shook her head, "I have to go for her."

Harvey's body tensed, Diana could feel it clearly. "No, we'll call someone... We'll call Lucas. He can help."

Diana shook her head again, "No. He can't. Even if the phone he gave you still worked-" Diana looked at the shattered phone Harvey had with him. "-Yeah... Like I said, even if the phone still worked, he couldn't help, you know that. And out here I'm the most qualified to do this." She hugged Harvey tightly. "I'll be back soon okay? Just sit tight." Diana stood and, ignoring Harvey's protests, entered the Temple.

Frightened out of her mind, Diana continued through the dark corridors. Not knowing exactly what she was looking for, Diana just followed the powerful scents from the bandanna.

The scents were too strong to miss and even with her minimal practice, Diana could easily follow it.

The most powerful was the foreign one. It kept a strange scent Diana could only describe as _outlandish_.

Diana took into account the carvings on the walls, statues included. They all mimicked the carvings they had found outside. The skeleton creature and the beast man. However, these were completed writings and unlike the ones they had found these had complete stories on them as well.

Not forgetting the initiative for entering the Temple, Diana glanced over the stories on the walls.

The beast man fought the skeleton creature which was often described, with the words Korrine could translate, as an ignorant yet powerful _hunt_. That it was a _worthy kill_ in most cases and that the beast man fought viciously against these skeleton creatures like no other, they were _hunters _and the skeleton creatures were the _prey_.

All a bit confusing to Diana. The beast men hunted these creatures and... mounted their heads over their fireplace? To Diana, the point of keeping these _worthy kills_ heads was disgusting not to mention primitive and demeaning.

Diana turned around into another room, though quickly backing up and barely looking over the corner.

There she was, Korrine, she was struggling against two larger creatures... Nay, _beast men_.

She bucked and kicked, but they never budge, though they were probably annoyed at the struggling.

Diana observed them closely, evaluating their armoured bodies.  
They were large, one about her height and the other two were massive. Harvey was right, huge was the correct term.

The _beast men_ clicked and growled and Diana guessed that may be how they communicate, though she silently admitted to herself she would never be able to understand it.

Korrine shocked the much, much larger member of the group of three and kicked him square in the head and a _crack_ could be heard as he backed away for a moment.

Along with the small retreat a furious amount of clicking and growling followed as the largest of the group, the one that received the swift blow, ran his hand over the eye glass on his mask and felt the protective eye covering to be cracked. He growled louder.

Korrine, scared of the new, louder noises, whacked the smaller member over the head with her other foot.

She was dropped and began running to the corridor that Diana stood behind.

_The_ _Three Stooges _behind Korrine reacted fast and ran after her.

Diana growled, stepping out of hiding and in front of Korrine, keeping her machete in such a strong grip she was shocked she had that much strength to offer, especially after running so much as she had.

"Tilly!" Korrine cried as she hugged Diana's waist.

Diana's growl turned to a purr as she hugged Korrine back lightly.

The trio of _beast men_who had taken Korrine all stood up straight, watching in what could only be described as awe.

Diana's purr choked and turned to an even stronger growl as Diana gently pushed Korrine behind her. "Mum, Dad's outside. Go get him help, I think he's hurt. I'll deal with these three."

"Tilly their too strong... and they outnumber you. Let's run." Korrine tried to pull Diana away.

"They'll follow us, I'll take care of 'em. Just go." Diana insisted, and Korrine being a Mother, denied.

Soon, Diana noticed the three were no longer growling, but instead stood silently, staring at Korrine and her. But after their moment of silence, they approached, clicks and growl emitting heavily from the three. Each one overlapping the other in a rushed fashion, giving Diana the sense they were trying to decide what exactly was going on.

Yet once they began approaching, Diana's already powerful growl became louder, and so they complied and stopped.

"Back off!" Diana growled, her tone coming close to a roar.

The clicks emerged again as the smallest one took steps forward, more so then they had done before and to Diana, he took one step too far.

Diana lept, swinging her machete at the small one with a blasting roar.

The small one dodged, but regained himself by pulling out his own weapon that Diana through her adrenalin dazed mind could barely make out the familiarity of the object from the carving the Nicolas brought back with him for Diana.

She swung mercilessly again, almost hitting the _beast man_. Instead of engaging and trying to kill her as she and Korrine thought... He purred and backed off.

So did the other two, purring.

Diana, shocked at the outcome, stood gawking at them.

"Who are you?" She asked, only receiving clicks and purrs.

Diana sighed. "What do you want?" She tried again but she received the same answer, the clicks and purrs.

"Tilly, their trying to talk to you." Korrine established, "Oh." Diana straightened herself out, rubbing the back of her neck sheepishly.

"I don't understand you. Either speak English, or don't at all." Diana, still unforgiving.

The three clearly taken back, stopped making any noise at all.

"Are you..." Diana looked back to Korrine, then back to the three. "Are you going to try and... y'know, kill us anymore?" She asked while Korrine came and took place aside Diana.

One stepped forward, not the largest, but not the smallest, this one seemed... perfectly inbetween.

He answered her with a slow and hesitant shake of his head.

Diana let out a relived breath. "Good, 'cause Dad's waiting for us out front... He's banged up, we need to go now." Diana backed away slowly, as if expecting them to attack the minute they turned their back.

Yet they were held up again.

The largest stepped in front, taking the head position and he began clicking buttons on his flipped up wrist piece. Waiting a moment, Diana heard more clicks and growls coming from him and through a rusty tone, a sentence was formed.

"_What is a pup like you doing here?_" The machined voice asked, apparently working as some kind of translator when he made those clicks and growls.

"A what? A pup? I'm well over that age, thanks. What am I doing here? My business, not yours. So back off." Diana growled again, pushing Korrine out into the corridor while she kept and eye on the largest one.

"_What are you doing with that Ooman?_" He asked, obviously he didn't know what '_my business' _means.

"With what? Ooman? What?" Diana was confused, but she got the hint and looked down to Korrine. "Mum? This is my Mum, her name is Korrine. I'm with her because she's my Mum. What were you doing with her?"

The two behind the largest clicked and growled, but the only translated sentence came out of the largest _beast man_.

"_You have to come prepared._" He replied, turning his attention back to Diana and Korrine.

"_That Ooman had desecrated our hunting grounds. She was to be sacrificed._" He said matter-of-factly.

"Scarified?!"

* * *

_AN: Oooh! Diana's pissed. :3_

_**Blood Shifter2:** Get used to it! :D  
Mystery man is in this chapter, just not introduced formally yet..._

_**PrueAngelEyes:** Well hello fellow reader! A pleasure to meet you.  
I'm glad you like my story, one day I hope to make you love it so much you marry it. Although, I'll be the overprotective Mother and I won't give consent and instead I'll cry my eyes out while you and my baby get married anyways. =D_

_**infernothechinchilla:** Small Stone's perfect, I used him in this chapter by the way! Yes! The smallest one, although not by far to Diana's Mystery Man...  
Anyways, I agree, a few notches up on the romance speed. I promise, it's coming soon! Very soon! ^^_

_**LadyOfTheDevouringEbony:** So loud my ears hurt! x)  
Look, this is an update!... Isn't it?... It is right?! Oh GAWD! What have I been doing with my life!?_ -jumps out window-_  
_


	10. ToU: Terms of Use

Well hi there! It's Kaimaler, coming with a very important message...

The character's that are not mine, that belong to Infernochinchilla and GODDESS-Rita-ofDark, are two Yautja's with Diana's mystery man...

However, it seems as though I have left out details for character entry:

1. Before offering your OC, please make sure you are available on FF frequently, for I write the second I hit the computer and I don't have time other wise, so it becomes hard when I've written a chapter and awaiting news from the owners of the OC's.

2. After submitting your OC, keeping in mind rule number one, you keep up a regular basis for checking your PM's for my questions and concerns regarding usage.

3. When your OC appears and had been used in a less then pleasing way, please PM me regarding the matter. I will straighten it out.

4. State your rules and limitations for your character to be used, if acceptable, I will be cautious of the boundaries and make sure to give you my every plan for said OC.

5. Before submitting, keep in mind that if you do not reply to a PM within the same day or the next day, the chapter will be published anyhow.

6. When planning on a vacation/trip away from any computer usage, please alert me before hand and I will give you a low down of everything planned in the near future of the chapters, so I can still publish and you can remain pleased.

Well, those are all the rules I've managed to think of for now, I really should have done this prior but it never crossed my mind.

Infernochinchilla and GODDESS-Rita-ofDark:

I will give you both credit for your characters, I will never claim them as my own.  
At the same time I hope you'll keep in mind these simple six rules so there are no mistakes made and certainly no misunderstandings.

You're all awesome.

Peace out. :D


	11. Survival of a Warm blooded Alien

_AN: Yeah, I'm sorry this took so long but... uh... I had some, _-ahem- _setbacks._

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever thought of it. I don't know who. I'm terrible with names, but I'm gunna' go kill him and steal his identity... Kinda' hard for a chic to do, but I'll figure it out!_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Infernochinchilla.  
GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
They will be named in later chapters, to which they will be named to their creators.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_

* * *

_

Diana was beyond furious and Korrine was downright petrified.

"_You act surprised._" The rather large one asked.

Growling, Diana held up the machete. "I am surprised! I mean, oh my God. You were about to sacrifice my _mother_?!"

"_That Ooman?_" He questioned through the device, "_Your mother? I believe you are mistaken._"

Diana glared. "No, I think you're insane. Sacrifice? What are you, giant creepy Mayan rejects?" She growled.

The largest, who was the only one speaking to Diana, did not move again. He stood there staring through the metal mask that frightened Diana and Korrine. Who wears a mask like _that_?

Then, one of the two standing behind the only one that could communicate started, as Diana guess it, speaking to the largest one... Viciously.

"_It seems there is some confusion._" He turned his head from the man behind him back to Diana, "_From what clan do you hail_?"

Diana's glare stopped suddenly. She shook her head, looking strangely at the three ahead of her. "Clan? What the hell do you mean; _clan_?"

It was the Three Stooges time to be shocked.

"_You do not know what clan you are from_?" The big one asked again.

Diana rolled her eyes, lowered her machete and sighed. "If you mean what _family _I'm from, then I'm Diana Beck, this is my mum, Korrine Beck. The man you ditched outside is Harvey Beck. Pleasure to meet you, now go the bloody hell away." She hissed again.

Much to Diana's dismay, the three began talking privately, in their own language, turning slightly away from Diana.

"God, this'll take forever..." Diana groaned. "Mum, go see Dad. Make sure he's okay then go back to camp, pack and I'll be right behind you. We don't have time to deal with these bloody idiots before dark."

"_Wait, pup._" The translator called out, Diana rolled her eyes then took up glaring back at the largest. "_You claim yourself the offspring of a Ooman and you do not know your own language. Grant me a few easy answers if none other, how did you arrive here and why do you believe to be a pup of an Ooman?_"

Diana stood up straight and stared to the translator. "I think your thingy is broken... My own language?"

"_My translator is the latest model, I received it just before we left for this backwater planet._"

"My... own... language."

Korrine could clearly see the shocked look on Diana's face while the three offenders who previously attempted to _sacrifice_ her could only question her wide eyes and strange stillness when she had threatened to slice them in half with a machete not to long ago.

She was right, Diana wanted to stop but she feared the reaction she would be given in return. She had heard right, the man's translator tool was working properly and he had just insinuated that he and his companions were speaking her language and therefore were her specie.

Diana's current trail of thought robbed her of her awareness. She simply stood there, stiff as a board and dropped her machete.

The clang of the discarded weapon forced all three of the mysterious men's eyes to follow it until it lay silent, then they spotted Korrine.

Only the largest turned his attention back to Diana while the other two had a stare down with Korrine.

"_You are surprised?_"

Diana's eye twitched as did her hands before she could react. Mentally beating the crap out of herself, she awoke from her near stasis state.

"That's... my language? You... That means you... are my race." She mumbled out just above a whisper.

The smallest one of the three turned to the translator and spoke in the clicks and growls that Diana now knew was her language. No wonder she could make weird noises like them so well... Now had she said when she did make those clicks?

Her mind was pulled away from her thoughts again when the translator returned from his short talk with the other.

"_All of us are confused. You do not know your language _or_ your race? How is that possible?_" His determination to ask these questions became somewhat of a nuisance to Diana, _she _wanted to ask _them_ the questions. However, this would come sooner or later.

"I-I... W-when I was... Well, I think..." Diana stumbled for words, how was she supposed to describe the one moment in her life that all she oculd remember was fire, falling, snow, and strange men?

"Tilly." Korrine stepped from behind Diana, guessing that the three would not harm her as long as she stayed by Diana. "Please, allow me."

Diana nodded and Korrine released Diana's arm, unaware of the moment she actually took a hold of it.

"I would about twenty years ago I had gone out with my husband and we had found Diana in the cold. It was winter, near Christmas time and a few months prior the park, where we found Diana, was closed for some strange reason." Korrine started off, still uneasy in speech around the three who stared her like they were _trying _to bore a hole through her.

"A few years ago, my husband's sister Danni and her husband Nicolas had discovered something. For years we've trying to track down Tilly's specie. When Nicolas came here two years ago he found and brought back a stone with a carving of two creatures. One that resembled something of a skeleton with a scorpion tail, and the other which held a certain likeness to Tilly here." Diana grinned at the memory, she would never forget that night. Left early, helped move Danni and Nicolas' belongings into the new home, cooked homemade pizza, left a giant mess in the kitchen, sat down with the family, scared the living daylights out of Corbin, and discovered hints of her race.

"When Nicolas told us about what he had found, we also discovered accounts of the months before the night we found Tilly." Korrine thought for a moment, attempting to properly remember the order of events as it was by the leaked reports.  
"The Weyland Yutani Corporation appeared first and hauled off the space ship Tilly fell from. After they had finished their excavations, the government and construction workers appeared and covered the crash site up. But Tilly was the only one left and so my husband and I found her a few days after the park where the crash had taken place was reopened." Korrine finished her brave explanation and could swear that the tensity of the three, possible Diana's race of the male gender, raised greatly.

"_You said where this pup fell from_._ What did she fall from?_" He asked, the translator could barely keep up with the rushed clicks and growls.

"The ship, Tilly said all she could remember was a fire, a hole, and then she was falling. She landed in snow, that undoubtedly broke her fall. She was able to escape that way. The Weyland Yutani men could not find her, they did not expect her." Korrine answered for Diana, who was nervous and shaking like a maraca.

"_You also mentioned she landed in-_" He stopped mid-sentence and a grumbling came from his throat before he could continue. "-s'no-w." He said, and it was obvious to both Diana and Korrine that their language did not have a word for _snow_ and therefore he had to try his voice at the English language... which came out rather choppy.

"Yes, I fell into the snow." Diana suddenly answered, making Korrine release a heavy breath of relief. She did not want to be the target of the three much larger-then-her men's eyes.

"_And it was-_" He was going to try again and it almost made Korrine and Diana cringe, they did not want to hear what he had to say in English again. "-Wi-nt'er." He choked out, gladly returning to his translator for the conversation.

"Cold as ice. I was freezing, felt like I was shoved into a polar ice cap." Diana involuntarily shivered.

"_That is impossible. We are a warm blooded race. We require heat, yet you claim you survived the coldest season of an Ooman's year._"

Diana tilted her head, she did not know the answer. Why was she able to withstand the cold? She knew she could freeze rather easily, but she never froze to death, hence her living now.

"_You also claim to have lived on Earth for over twenty Earth years. As a race, we cannot breathe the atmosphere on Earth like the Ooman's can. We would die within a matter of day's, how is it that you are able to do such?_"

Before answering, Diana and Korrine both soaked in the information. First surprising fact was that they were identifying her as their race and therefore their quest was a success, in fact, beyond a success, they did not think they would actually find living members of Diana's race, much less meet them.

Secondly, Diana and Korrine as well as the rest of the family, understood that Diana would often complain about breathing problems and her sensitivity to the cold, but it never came about when Diana was choking on the air or when Diana turned pale and as cold as a block of ice; not even during Winter.

So how was she able to survive on Earth with her race being warm blooded and Winter is exactly the time she arrived, and how could she live on Earth without the same breathing masks, as Korrine and Diana guessed, that the three men wore?

After contemplating the possible answers, all Diana could reply was with a leasurly shrug. "I don't know."

And Korrine nearly the same. "Not one clue."

The three glanced in one another direction. "_This is unnerving._"

"You're telling me." Diana laughed. "I just discovered my own race, my own language, then found out there is no plausible way that I can survive on Earth! This is awesome... and weird, but mostly awesome."

There it was, Diana was returning to her natural state of hyperactivity and Korrine saw it coming from a mile away, but her anxiety was focused elsewhere rather then the three soon having Diana glomping them together and asking a slew of questions that they would no doubt become annoyed at.

"Tilly, love." Korrine pulled on Diana's shirt. "Harvey."

Diana's hyperactivity disappeared. "Dad!"

Before the three and Korrine herself knew it, Diana had lifted Korrine into her arms and was rushing with astounding speeds back through the dark carved halls and back out into the near blinding, white hot light outside of the Temple's entrance and straight to the spot Harvey was up against.

"Harvey!"

* * *

_**blood shifter2:**Oh, you'll find out who she'll be with, however, I cannot use Infernochinchilla's character or GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK's character as the romance target for Diana's insane obsession with big strong dudes. :D_

_**Infernochinchilla:**Well, I'm glad we fixed everything up and you still like me. Also, thanks for kicking my heels and keeping me on my toes about getting this chapter out. It was a toughie, although it doesn't look like it, but I enjoyed talking with you the entire way! You're still a wonderful best friend, because you aren't afraid of telling my like it is... Because I'm stupid and slow, I agree._

_**PureAngelEyes:** Well, I know I made you all wait a long time for this chapter, but I finished it, thought it was decent enough. Though I may come over the story again once it's finished but for now, I like it... I think. ^.~;_

_**GrimlockX4:**OH MAI GAWD. You read both of my stories!? OMFG I LURV EWE. xD  
You're still awesome Grim and I hope you enjoyed your inserting into my Transformers fic: Real World Changes._

_**Infernochinchilla:** The few, the proud, the KICK ASS READERS! Love ya' Inferno, though I know my jokes suck and are REALLY hard to understand sometimes, I just love spouting them out like some demented poisoned water sprinkler with a deadly cause._


	12. We Are Yautja

_AN: Wow, this story is having a few technical problems... Er, writers block..._

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever thought of it. I don't know who. I'm terrible with names, but I'm gunna' go kill him and steal his identity... Kinda' hard for a chic to do, but I'll figure it out!_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Infernochinchilla.  
GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
They will be named in later chapters, to which they will be named to their creators.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_

* * *

_

"You demented, bloody bastards!" Diana roared.

Harvey was alive, not well, injured and loosing blood from internal bleeding, but Diana was far to enraged to actually care that she was threatening three much larger then her, by far stronger then her males of her own race.

"Diana!" Korrine cried, "We need to get him to a hospital. There was a clinic in the city, but I'm not sure if they can handle this..." Korrine, who's nervousness was showing in multiple ways, said.

Diana paced, she knew no way to get Harvey back to the village fast enough without risking of getting caught as an alien.

"This is bad. Really, really _bad_ Mum."

The trio looked at each other slightly confused at Diana's first insult, then interested in Diana's pacing. As if the line in the dirt, soon to be hole, was the most interesting attention grabbing action in the entire world.

"What is your problem anyways?! I swear, this is ridiculous! We could be enjoying our vacation rather then spending it worrying for Dad's life!" Diana sighed, growling, and rested her head in one hand while the other propped itself against her hip. "I can't believe this, how are we going to get him a doctor without me being found? We'd never hear the end of it..."

The trio turned to one another again, "_Is this the reason for your behavior?_"

Diana flew around to the tallest member, pointing a sharp taloned finger in his face. "No. Because of _you!_" She roared.

Amazingly, as Korrine predicted, the three did not react harshly to Diana's antics. Somehow, the largest member who Korrine half expected to attack Diana for such an outburst, did no such thing, but did the exact opposite.

The trio, in complete unison and at the perfectly same tone, began to purr. Like Diana would do when she was happy, they started a quiet, low purr.

"What the-?" Diana stood back, at first she donned a stunned and by far confused beyond reason. "I don't- I just don't understand."

"_Why are we he cause of your distress?_"

Diana's eye twitched. "Why?_ Why_?! You are seriously-"

A horrifying screech ripped Diana's attention from the trio to Korrine.

"What's wrong with him?!" Korrine cried, hands over her mouth and kneeled beside Harvey.

They all watched as Harvey suddenly reared out in pain. His eyes tightly closed and Korrine resting her hand on his shoulder. "Harv, what's the matter?" She begged an answer.

"_He has been impregnated._" The largest turned from his group to talk behind Diana and rest his hand on her shoulder.

"Impregnated?!" Diana flipped out, slapping the Male's hand off her and jumping backward. "What the bloody hell does that mean?!"

Diana turned her back to Harvey and Korrine for a second, not thinking anything would happen in that short time span.

"_Yes._" He male rubbed his hand gingerly before resting it aside him. "_And the one he was impregnated with is attempting to break free._"

The trio suddenly jumped, leaning over with their hands pressuring each side of their heads and instead of purring anymore they growled, loudly. Their sensitive hearing could not withstand the abuse of Korrine's shrill screech as an even more horrifying sound took place, not a possible human sound, but the blood curdling crack and crunch of bones snapping, but it was without their cover, the skin, to at the least dull the sound.

Korrine reacted instantly, but not in a good way, she jumped backwards and began to kick away the small black creature that had unbelievably broke free from Harvey's chest and in the process, killed him.

The smallest alien of the three decided he had enough of the high pitched scream and took control over the situation, he used the same blade he had used against Diana on the small monstrosity and stood between Korrine and the sight of her dead husband.

Quickly the over two jumped into action, all three desiring the screaming to stop so badly, and pulled Korrine from her dirty spot on the grass and off further away with her back turned to the event.

Left standing behind were the shortest alien aside her looking towards her as if expecting something.

Diana had not turned around, she did not dare it. It would seem like to her that turning to see the death of her beloved Father would instantly kill her as well and she honestly did not want Korrine to be left alone with the three that just tried some ancient ritual on her.

The male tried to speak to her, but as Diana had told them, even if it was her supposed birth language, that she could not understand much less speak it.

If Diana could hear anything in her out of body experience then she may have said something back to the alien of her race that was attempting to talk with her, or try to comfort her Mother while she sobbed... inadvertently on the other alien without a translator who looked about as shaken as ever with a human using him as a shoulder to cry on

She could do nothing, she had not moved and she stared into the distance, her mind filling with _what if_'s and _what could have been_.

Diana became keenly aware of her situation, her Father was deceased, her Mother was in turmoil, Diana herself was in shock, and the three aliens around her were her race; the race she had been searching for ever since she learned how to use the computer's search engine.

"Mum?" Diana chocked, barely turning enough to see the alien who stood at her side.

The only one with a translator had taken off from the uncomfortable alien being used as a shoulder to cry on and walked to Diana.

"_That Ooman male was of some meaning to you?_" He asked as if it was the strangest thing he had ever heard.

"He... He was m-my Dad." Diana's breathing became rapid, she felt tense with the pain of someone stabbing the dullest blade they could find into her heart and twisting it, but desired not to kill her, only to torture her.

"_Your Father? Surely not birth father, that would suggest you are a hybrid._"

"No... We told you before. T-they found me... in the park... I-I live w-with them and n-now Dad's g-g-gone!" She rushed forward, hugging the alien with a translator and cried out loudly.

Shocked by the strange gesture all he did was hold Diana's shoulders while her grip tightened around the highest part of his body she could reach.

"_Are you... How are you?_" He searched for the words, unable to say his meaning without sounding more like a fumbling pup, but he was unsure his race could even express their sorrow like Diana was doing now. She was crying and he, nor to other two, had ever seen one of their kind burst into tears as she was doing.

With the translator still on and in such close proximity to the other alien it automatically began translating the others conversation with the male Diana was crying on.  
"_Alha'uxi, can our kind even do that?_"

"_Until today Nok-tjau'ke... There was many things I thought a Yautja could never do._"

It seemed to long to the two who currently served the heartbroken women when truthfully it had been less then five minutes before they pulled back from the strange sad embrace.

"_You are from this planet?_" He pulled Diana back tightly, not offensively, but decided that was enough.

"As far as I know..." Diana replied, her English cracking into a rougher raw growl.

"_And you have housing with an Ooman family?_" He questioned as Diana rubbed her eyes.

"Yeah..."

"_You also know nothing of your own race?_"

"We already told you that." Diana shifted on her feet, she was still crying but felt it best to answer the large male.

Turning from Diana he faced his allies and called them to him, leaving Korrine and Diana alone to their own devices.

It took not much time after the trio found themselves a spot to talk alone that Korrine and Diana broke down into tears again, both apologizing to the other about Harvey, both in a deep heartache unlike any they ever imagined.

It became difficult to keep balance so the two sat and leaned against the Temple's wall further from Harvey's body but did not continue crying, simply held each other tightly as if the other would die if they were to let go.

It became sometime before the trio returned to find the surviving family members together, supporting one another.

"_You name?_" The largest asked, the other two fast at his side.

"D-Diana." She gasped barely even glancing toward them.

"_Dy'anna._" He attempted he name, only coming somewhat close to it. "_I am Alha'uxi. He is Nok-tjau'ke and Ky'gon._" He gestured to the names respective owners. "_And we saw it fit, considering our own honour, that one in your position and as young as you still have time to be taught our traditions. You claimed you came to this Temple to search your kind out and we are offering to teach you._"

Diana stared flabbergasted. "You'd... teach me? Everything?"

"_All we can._"

Fast as lightning Diana's eyes sparkled with a thrill unlike her regular. "What do I have to do?"

"_Listen closely._"

"I will."

"_And when the time comes do as we tell you._"

"Can I know something?" Diana asked sheepishly.

"_Ask._"

"What is my race called?"

"_We are Yautja._"

* * *

_**Infernochinchilla:**__ Phew! I'm glad I'm a chic, where _else_ could you hit me?  
Nonetheless, I'm enjoying your encouragement. Though I've had a bad run of writers block, I still appreciate the help. _Tremendously.

_**GrimlockX4:** Good, I'm glad. ^^ I'll have Riya chat up with you in the sequel some more._

_**Bloock Shifter2:** Oh yeah, you character will pop up here soon. It's simply that only the Three Stooges are on Earth now, your person will talk to them through their ship's communications terminal in the later chapters.  
Don't worry, I didn't forget about you person or yourself since I love your reviews so much!  
_


	13. Birthday!

_Hello everybody!_

_It is..._

_**My birthday!**_

_I'm sixteen today! Yay me!_

_And it is..._

**_My Mom's birthday!_**

_She's forty-six today!_

_We have the same birthday! Awesome huh?_

_Happy sweet sixteen to me right? -shivers- Weird._

_Well, I'm off. My Dad's taking me to see Avatar like I wanted on Friday so I'm insanely excited!_

_Woot!_

_Yup, this day (January 13th) I was born on my Mother's birthday! What a present huh? -insert cheeky grin here-_

_For your information:_

_Kaimaler's Date of Birth: January 13th 1994._

_Love ya'll!_

_Peace out!_


	14. Language and Arts

_AN: Wow, this story is having a few technical problems... Er, writers block..._

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever thought of it. I don't know who. I'm terrible with names, but I'm gunna' go kill him and steal his identity... Kinda' hard for a chic to do, but I'll figure it out!_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_

* * *

_

"So... Why are you doing this?" Diana asked staring sadly down at her drink.

It had taken a few hours, almost the entire day for Diana and Korrine to get the courage and strength up enough to bury Harvey. It was respectful to do so and they could not very well go to the local clinic, they would ask what happened and what did it, all Korrine could say would be '_I don't know_' and eventually people would become suspicious.

Diana and Korrine led the three Yautja, as they learned, back to the home Diana and Korrine lived at until they returned to England.

Needless to say the three were rather unimpressed by the small one storey, rickety old home prone to squeaks and creaks.

Just about everytime the three took a step the floor boards would groan in protest, offering no hope of sneaking about inside the home, much to their displeasure. They did so prefer silence.

After the few hours of sad silence, the two groups came to an understanding that they would have to face each other sometime and while Diana was not to pleased that she would have to house the three that nearly killed her mother and was the cause for Harvey's death, she wanted to learn, she wanted to know, above all she desired knowledge and when she returned to England to tell Danni and Nicolas of her adventure as well as the depressing loss of Harvey, she could tell them that Nicolas' information was correct and she came home fruitful.

It would prove as a problem when it came time to leave however, Diana had not told the three she only had two weeks to learn everything about her race before she left back home, the trio would probably not be to pleased but Diana could not bring herself to care all that much about them.

What also kept her interest perked was why the three decided teaching her would be the right thing to do, were they not her enemies a sort while ago? Has she not threatened to decapitate them if they took one step near her?

Whatever happened before was completely forgotten, it was not their fault truly for Harvey's death, no one could ever see that coming. As for what they were trying to do to Korrine; Diana would ask their intentions later. For now, they were together and had a very short period of time to explain an entire race.

Better get started.

"_We have spoken together of your situation, it is... unheard of._" He stated calmly, attempted to get comfortable on the reclining chair. "_We agree on one thing, that it would be unwise to leave you here alone and ignorant of your race. As you said, you have no knowledge of our race and have been living on this planet with the Ooman's, it would be dishonourable for us to leave without aiding you._"

"Dishonourable?" Diana narrowed her eyes in question, "I don't get it. Dishonourable would be sacrificing a poor defenceless mother and wife for no better reason then she unwittingly desecrated your hunting grounds or whatever. That's dishonourable." She growled.

The trio had spontaniously agreed to move from the subject, they were talented at changing topics.

"_The most important lesson we must teach is your language._" He stated, brushing off the previous subject. "_Are you ready?_"

"Now?! Hell no!" Diana roared standing from the couch next to Korrine. "Maybe tomorrow... I just need time." Diana stormed off. Them ignoring her choice of topic annoyed her and after loosing her dad, she felt nothing but hostility towards them.

Diana had taken off to her room, slammed and locked the door behind her. Not even taking the time to finish or take her drink.

All that was left was an unbelievably uncomfortable atmosphere between the three and Korrine.

She turned her attention back towards them, smiling strangely in hopes to keep the three at bay. "Thirsty?" She asked,.

They shook their heads and stood, the largest of the three struted to the room Diana disappeared into while the other two remained with Korrine.

"Excuse me." Korrine ghosted past the two massive bodies to the missing third member who now stood outside Diana's bedroom door and the two decided it was best

"I don't think that's such a good idea..." Korrine almost whispered to the large alien.

"_I do not understand her reaction. First she is pleased and now she is against it._" He turned to Korrine, "_She truly has been raised by you, an Ooman._"

Korrine nervously laughed, "Yes, for over twenty years now. Harvey and I took her in as our own, but we told you all that already. The only problem is that ever since she could work a computer..." She sighed.

The three stood awaiting more. Korrine had not finished and they were very insistant that she do so.

"... Alright... She's wanted nothing more then to know what she is, it's taken us over twenty years to do it. Harvey and I were looking the first day she stayed with us." Korrine turned and headed to the living room where the three followed. "Technically, you three are her dream come true. She's rather envious that you know all she's ever wanted to know, but she knows she can learn. The problem is, it was not me staying up with her those long nights helping her find her race. It was Harvey, he babied Diana to the point where she doesn't know what to do without him." Her voice choked.

"And honestly, neither do I." She sat lazily on the couch, taking up her previous spot while the three conversed between themselves.

Eventually, after a while of sitting on the couch quietly, the three approached Korrine and spoke up.

"_Though the Ooman's rituals confuse us, at times they benefit and others they effect the Ooman negatively._" He felt an explanation was necessary. "_There is one matter Ooman and Yautja are alike._" Korrine looked to him, her eyes lit up. "_Only this one thing._" He emphasized.

"_Ooman's and Yautja have their own ceremonies for a death. If the deceased is not even a blooded warrior, it matters not, we hold an equal ceremony. Ooman's do not, for their leaders it is a great loss and they send out messages all over the world stating that this important person had died._"

Korrine thought, "Like a president, or the Pope." She murmured to herself.

"_Past those differences both Ooman and Yautja hold death in the same regard. It is a painful experience, both our kind act towards death as a moment in one's life where nothing else matters but paying respect to the deceased. It is, in Ooman terms, a spiritual time._"

She nodded, "I think I understand." With a smile, she shook her head. "One thing is for sure though... Diana will have a lot to learn before we go home." Korrine chuckled.

"_Go home?_" He asked.

"Yes, we have..." Korrine stood and walked to the kitchen, openly connected to the living room. She counted down the days until the '_X_' which marked their departure. "Almost twelve days until Diana and I head back to England."

The largest stood, trumped over to the kitchen, opposite on the kitchen island sticking out from the wall. "_Where is that?_"

"England?"

"_Yes._"

Korrine again left the kitchen, into the living room and bent over at the coffee table, looking in it's drawers until she lifted out of the old dark wooden table a large book with the picture of the Earth on it's cover.

"One moment..." She hummed while flipping through the pages.

The trio awaited patiently until Korrine smiled and set the book down on the table. "We're here, in Catalonia." She stated, then flipped the pages over a few more times. "That's England, Diana and I live..." She looked through the printed names on the map, "There."

Korrine was rather proud to show them her and Diana's home, she did not know why, but she smiled brightly the entire time while the trio examined it thoroughly.

It took a rather few lengthy minutes before any one of the three moved.

When they did...

"_Why were we not informed you were leaving?_" He somewhat growled, "_This is what we need to know._"

Stricken from her confusing proud-ness, Korrine reeled herself into an imaginary corner. "Well... We had not thought of it."

The largest nodded, "_What else have you not told us?_"

Korrine shook her head, "Nothing as far as I know."

"_You leave in the near future, Dy'anna must come out. She has little time and too much to learn._"

She nodded feverishly, "I agree... but we're in mourning here. Like you said, our kind hold it in deep respects."

"_You must finish mourning later, for now, we must teach._"

Korrine gulped. "I guess our kind is not alike in that way..." She whispered, slinking past the three giants into the hallway.

Following close and with a new passion, the three stopped once Korrine began knocking on Diana's door.

"Love, the... well, the _others_ want to talk to you. I told them when we're leaving and... he says they have a lot to teach you before we go."

Diana was heard on the other side, the bed was groaning whilst she stood and walked to the door. "Tell them no."

"They insist."

Opening the door in one swift motion, Diana was growling powerfully and the three acted on instinct. Never let a female Yautja be pissed at you, lest you be in the path of her pent up rage, talons and blades.

"Go away." She growled, not even bothering to pay attention to the purring.

"_You must learn, you have little time._" The largest, as always, stated. "_Only then we cannot teach you. I suggest, if I may, that you take the opportunity to learn while you have the chance and once you leave, you have the rights to claim what you have learned and use it when it pleases you._"

Sighing, with a growling anger, Diana looked back to Korrine, who honestly nodded in agreement.

"Diana, I agree. Let's not go home regretting we did not take their offer."

Rolling her eyes, inwardly, Diana stopped growling, unclenched her fists then turned back to the three.

"What's first?"

The males stopped their comforting purring, "_Language._"

* * *

_**Blood Shifter2:** You are correct!  
That is the question I knew someone would ask!  
But first... Yes, Harvey was intended to die in the original _A Lost Yautja _when it was first published, as you can see, I did not create this story line. (_though the trio teaching Diana while on Earth is a new thing I added for effect_)  
Yeah, I'll have a lot of fun picking on the Yautja's limited knowledge of humor.  
(Shifter, keep going down, there's another review reply for you!)_

**Everybody! Over here! Look at this, it's important!**

_Diana is smaller, as a female Yautja is larger then males, then the three because:_

_A) Diana is still considered a pup to them, in human age, however, she is an adult. In basic Yautja life, she's a pup, not even prepared to leave the safety of her mother's home yet._

_B) A reason that will also answer the questions the Three Stooge's asked, y'know, about how she can live in the cold Winter? Or how she can live on Earth and breathe it's oxygen for years while a normal Yautja could live only a few days?  
Well, that'll have to wait. It'll be torture, I know, but that's the point!_

**Okay, that's it, go back to reading the rest of the Review Replies.**

_**GrimlockX4: **Damn I love you, y'know that?  
Yeah, it is sad. Poor Diana and Korrine, what the hell will Nicolas and Danni think?!  
Oh, heh, I got some funny scenes planned for_ All the Wrong Feelings_. :D  
It just came to me Grim, no one knows why I titled the sequel that, do they? Do you?_

_**GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK: **Well, now you know. Language and Arts! Yay!  
That just so happens to be my favorite topic in the GED practice book and in all my home schooling in general.  
Erm, all except for History. I love history!_

_**infernothechinchilla:** Oh yeah, this is a lengthy story... May have a sequel... Or I'll just incorporate the sequel into this one... Don't know yet.  
(Inferno, keep going, I did another review reply for you since you reviewed twice!)_

_**Amanmor:** Well thanks! But you'll have to fight the others to win my heart! People like Infernothechinchilla and GrimlockX4. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll be stuck in this God forsaken tower forever...  
__Damn imagination, running wild again.  
Oh, and I absolutely love your username. It just SOUNDS awesome when I say it. Amanmor.  
Like Grabnar the Wanderer.  
Just...  
Y'know...  
Amanmor.  
I'm stopping. I promise.  
:D_

_**Blood Shifter2:** Thanks Shifter! My Mom says I was the best birthday gift ever, nothing can top this! Oh yeah!  
...Humility I know thee not!_

_**infernothechinchilla: **Sorry. I'm having a sucky case of writer's block.  
Ouch, exams. I'm glad I'm home schooled.  
HOMIGOSH! Why?! Geez, what the hell did she do? Do you want me to kill her for you?! I can! RAWR._

...Hope they weren't very good Christmas presents... I couldn't burn a present from anyone because I get them so rarely.  
I hope this chapter made you happier, I know it's not a very good chappy, but it's done anyhow...

_**wicked falcon:** Yes! I refuse to abandon this story! I. WILL. NOT. LOSE!  
Sorry, had a brownie..._

_**PureAngelEyes:** Thanks Prue, I had a nice relaxed day that's for sure. However, since we don't celebrate, all I get is a trip to the movies and my mom has... well... I don't know what her present is, probably the bead store so she can make all that jewelry she wanted. She loves making jewelry. :D_


	15. A Safe Bet

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_AN: Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times Diana and the trio are speaking Yautjan._

_

* * *

_

"_Wrong again._" He groaned, the other two joining the exhausted expression.

"_How can you speak Ooman languages so easily yet struggle with your own?_" He mumbled to himself, Alha'uxi was patient, but Diana made a formidible student... And they were only on their first subject.

"Ugh! This is so boring!" Diana flopped back long ways on the couch, her head resting on Korrine's lap. "Mom!" She whined, "I'm hungry."

Korrine giggled, "I have pancakes."

Diana's eyes lit up, "I love pancakes."

Korrine slipped from underneath Diana's head and walked into the kitchen, where Korrine began gathering the requirements of pancakes. The sharp and rather loud noises of pans and metal kitchen utensils played.

Diana looked to the trio who had each taken an individual spot on the opposite couch and chair. They were staring in undisguised disbelief.

"What?" She huffed. "I like pancakes."

All three sported their own form of agitation, Alha'uxi rested his head in his hands, Nok-tjau'ke crossed his arms and reclined on the couch shaking his head while Ky'gon closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

"_Are we going to do this or what?_" Diana asked, speaking in flawless Yautjan, causing the three to stop their irritated behavior and stare surprised.

Alha'uxi smirked, "_So you have learned something._"

"_Well, duh, of course._" Diana scoffed, "_I learn what I want. See, I can use this speech, while what you were teaching me was just... well... useless._" She laughed.

"_What I was teaching you Dy'anna was our common speech. You were pleased when we told you we would teach you but you are not learning, you simply take what you want from us and are done with it._" He growled, once again placing a hand to cover his eyes. "_We have not even begun the harder training._"

"_Training? What 'training'? This is school for the girl who knows everything about humans and nothing about her own race... Hmm... I'm an alien._" She murmured to herself.

Nok-tjau'ke made his presence known, since during the teaching he had not said a word. "_Shall we move on then? You have been trying to tell her the same thing for hours. It has grown dark and yet we still sit here._"

"_We have made progress._" Alha'uxi retorted, "_She now speaks her own language. That is an accomplishment._"

"_If we plan on teaching her one thing a day we will never be finished._" Ky'gon whined.

"_And I suppose you could do better?_" Alha'uxi turned to him, "_We have little time and too much to teach, she is learning at her own pace. That is all we can hope for._"

"_I can do better._" Ky'gon challenged. "_Tomorrow, allow me the privilege of taking her into my hands, she will return to you by midnight with the knowledge of Small Stone._"

Small Stone's head shot up, throwing Ky'gon a glare. To between the trio, that was all Small Stone had to do to silence someone.

With a hefty sigh Ky'gon looked back to Diana, who was smiling like a monkey watching the two bicker. "_Nevermind, let us stop arguing and make a choice._"

"_In one day with you Ky'gon and she would more then likely return in worse condition then she left._" Alha'uxi was not about to let him win.

With a huff he kept up his offer, "_Tomorrow, at sunrise, I shall take Dy'na... Dy'anna with me to train, if she returns and proves to you I was right then I will take the honour of being her tutor._"

Alha'uxi shook his head. "_I look forward to tomorrow night then._"

Small Stone nodded once, "_As do I._"

Diana had a feeling that something had just happened that she would have sincerely wished had not, but she was to captivated by her steaming hot pancakes with syrup drizzled on top to pay attention to the trio.

The three looked back to Diana who was currently busy chowing down on a piece of sugery, fluffy, buttermilk delight to actually care about them.

"_What are those?_" Small Stone felt the need to ask, they were coloured like an Ooman's skin and had a very thick liquid poring down them. Their smell was so powerful the three were surprised they had not noticed the food sooner.

"Pancakes." Diana replied, done chewing on a slice of the sticky mess. "Want some?" Diana held a triangle of the sweet goodness and held the fork out to the three.

The three leaned in, sniffed it and immediately reeled back. "_How can you eat that?_" Ky'gon shook his head, "_It smells like Small Stone after a day of hunting._"

Small Stone glared at Ky'gon and silenced his youthful pride.

Diana repeated the action and ate the piece on the fork, making sure to savor the delicious taste before swallowing. "I grew up with pancakes, crouscants, crepes, that sort. I guess I just got used to it."

Korrine smiled, "She wouldn't eat anything unless I told her it was pancakes."

Ky'gon laughed, Alha'uxi choked on his laughter while Small Stone remained mostly stoic, except for his grin.

"_Sounds exactly like a pup._" Ky'gon remarked, "_If you spoil them._" He recovered.

"I had to spoil her, she was such a sweet little baby girl. She deserved every bit of it." Korrine patted Diana's head, who purred in reply.

"Yes, I was a sap." Diana giggled.

"You still are." Korrine scooted over to Diana, stealing her fork and taking a bite out of the pancakes herself.

Diana purred, learning into her mother, "Only for you."

Korrine wrapped an arm around Diana's shoulders, careful to avoid her dreadlocks. "You are my Starshine." She smiled, poking the pancakes and feeding Diana herself.

The trio watched in utter awe while the two family members comforted and purred to each other.

"_I admit, this is a strange sight Alha'uxi._" Ky'gon looked toward his elder, "_I would never have been able to imagine this happening on our hunt._"

The two continued staring at the family while Ky'gon had his attention on them.

"_I will have her behaving like a Yautja female before the end of the two weeks._" Ky'gon smiled.

Small Stone looked to Alha'uxi, "_With her as such a cooperative pup, it will be an easy task._"

Alha'uxi nodded, noting turning his attention from Korrine and Diana. "_For once..._" He smiled, leaning back in the chair. "_I agree with you_."

* * *

_**GrimlockX4:** "All the Wrong Feelings." I should wait to tell you... but I'm to giddy! :D  
It's titled that because, as the summary states; Riya knows of Optimus' impending doom, Megatron's return, Jetfire, the femme bot's death scene thingy and Optimus' resurrection, the death of the Fallen and Megatron's escape.  
Now, the problem is... She can't tell anyone!  
So the struggle is that she wants to, but knows the consequences so doesn't.  
But! WAIT! What happens when Optimus dies after Megatron's return?  
Now... it's a spoiler if I tell you any more but... here's the first reason.  
Riya doesn't want to see the Autobots going through that turmoil. It would be a painful experience mind you, their leader, their savior dying? Oh shizno!  
The Wrong feelings because while on her vacation to their universe again... she has nothing but feared thoughts for the Autobots.  
Later... will be the main reason it's titled "All the Wrong Feelings" but that will take place in the upcoming few chapters...  
Wait 'til then!_

_**Flandre Izumi 666:** Well of course I have time! Time is all I have! Inspiration is what I crave. D:  
Hmm... To serious for our first meeting.  
I think that may be the whole reason I'm doing this. Female pred's are few and far between and when we do see them their violent, out of control, psychopathic weirdo's. So, I think a bit of kind heartedness is what needs to be introduced to the female predators stories.  
Thanks for reviewing, I'm so lazy myself that people are quite displeased when I review this long intricate review then never do it again. I really need to work on that.  
Oh noes! I'm lazy!_

_**Blood Shifter2:** Well, there you have it. Diana knows the language. I thought it would be a rather easy task for someone of her age when she arrived on Earth. Y'know, she could speak Yautjan before she learned English... just... think a human baby learning their local tounge. The baby is learning, but has a little way to go._


	16. Training Day

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_AN: And the romance begins!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times Diana and the trio are speaking Yautjan._

* * *

"_Wake up!_" A roar blasted through the darkness.

Diana let out a surprised yelp before bouncing out of bed and onto the floor at Ky'gon's feet. He stood, arms crossed, in full gear, waiting for Diana to rise.

"Bloody hell!" Diana groaned, sitting up.

"_Come Dy'anna. Your day of training begins._" He crossed his arms looking down at Diana with a smile.

Growling, Diana turned to the bedside table, looked at the clock and groaned louder. "It's five in the morning!"

"_Then we are on schedule. I told Alha'uxi I would train you and I indent to take you to your limits._" He smiled.

Diana slowly stood up, stretched and glared lazily at Small Stone. "But why so early?"

"_You have much to learn._" He explained, "_And very little time to learn it._" He nodded in the direction to her closet. "_Dress and prepare yourself, we hunt today._"

Her eyes shot at Ky'gon who already was outside her bedroom door. "Hunt?"

* * *

Diana donned her other _adventure_ outfit. Still remaining the same in overall detail, protection jacket, shorts, tank top, hiking boots and a metal clip to hold her dreadlocks back.

Ky'gon was outside, standing on the edge of the road, patiently waiting for Diana to finish dressing, and when she exited the house she noticed Alha'uxi, Small Stone and Korrine.

At this time Diana felt relieved that the trio would be joining Ky'gon and her on their '_hunt_' as he called it.

"Mom, what's up?"

Korrine shrugged, "I was just about to ask you, love."

Diana looked to the three mask wearing males in hopes for some kind of physical emotion. None played, they were all at a complete stand still.

"So... What now?" Diana asked sheepishly.

Ky'gon walked from the edge of the road toward Diana, "_I begin training you_."

"Training me? Like the language stuff-" Diana felt a stinging pain on the inside of her knees and was fast on her back with the blunt end of a thick, long pole pointing directly between her eyes. "-Er... Ow?"

Korrine had jumped forward, only to be held back by the two males when Alha'uxi spoke with the translator to Korrine to sooth her, "_Ky'gon will not harm her._" Korrine did not buy it and hesitantly returned to standing rather uncomfortably between the two males.

"If you say so..." Korrine blinked and looked up to the male, "Forgive me, but I forgot your name."

He nodded, "_I am Alha'uxi_." The male, who in Korrine's terms was massive, decorated with black spots and dots over his tan hide. Korrine did not know enough about the Yautja to tell if his height, weight, or physical build was anything special beyond the human standards, to which Alha'uxi was impressive. "_I am the eldest._"

Turning toward the silent and usually distant male who stood on Korrine's right, "_He is Nok-tjau'ke, you may call him Small Stone since so many Ooman's have trouble pronouncing his name._" He introduced the shortest member. "_Small Stone is the youngest._"

Nok-tjau'ke, or Small Stone, was an average human height which surprised Korrine but he clearly made up for the lack of height with his inhuman skin; unlike Alha'uxi, Small Stone had a deeper primary skin tone, it was a yellow tinted brown hue with barely visible green and black, as Korrine called them, freckles on the lower section of his appendages.

"_The one who is training Dy'anna is Ky'gon_." He nodded toward the male who was currently slapping Diana's sides with the wooden pole her found in the backyard.

Strangely enough, Korrine had the feeling Ky'gon's visual was nothing special. Deep tan skin which turned a tan tinted white under his arms, inside his legs, and his stomach. He was adorned with small black spots that almost consumed his light brown primary colour were it not for it disappearing where the tan skin turned white.  
Strangely enough, he was perfectly in between the height of both Alha'uxi and Small Stone and while the said duo standing next to Korrine were drastically different, Ky'gon resembled a balance.

"Kee'gone." Korrine giggled, "I know I got that wrong."

Alha'uxi clicked to Ky'gon, to which the male stopped the training and looked up with a reply. Alha'uxi and Ky'gon continued for a few seconds before Ky'gon was whipped with the wooden pole he once held by Diana who grinned darkly and began smacking his sides.

"_I asked for a translation, his name in Yautjan to his name in Ooman._" Alha'uxi clarified.

"English you mean?" Korrine mumbled mostly to herself.

"_If that if the language you speak now, then yes._" He nodded, "_He claimed he was unsure, but you may call him Black Sound, or Dark Voice. The correct translation we do not know_." Alha'uxi's taloned index finger tapped the side of his mask.

"Sounds... scary, honestly." Korrine shivered.

"_What frightens you_?" Alha'uxi looked down to Korrine.

She sighed, "Black Sound? Dark Voice? I hope this isn't insulting but... Those names? Their rather... evil."

"_How so_?" He asked while Small Stone remained outside the conversation, but was listening in.

"Well, first of all. Black Sound? That name sounds like a descriptive term used for what radio signals gave out when they lost connection. A high pitched, scratchy noise." Korrine imagined the annoying noise, "And Dark Voice gives me the imagery of a, well, a murderer." Korrine nervously laughed.

"_Murderer?..._" Alha'uxi shook his head lightly while Small Stone stepped in, making sure his was in range for Alha'uxi's translator to work on himself.

"_Although Ky'gon and I do not agree on everything, I do know he would not _murder_ a creature that did not so deserve it's fate._" Small Stone grumbled into the conversation, "_It is considered dishonourable and any warrior, or any Yautja for that matter, would rather die then be considered a disgraceful hunter._"

Korrine nodded, understand the Yautja were quite serious about their honour. "I see... But I think I'll stick to his name, even if I can't say it right."

* * *

Diana collapsed, panting and covered in scratches. "Ky'gon... I'm tired..." She groaned while the said male kneeled beside her.

"_Do you see now?_" He huffed, a grin on his mandibles.

"Yes... I get it, I get it. Yautja are very strict about their dignity and honour. Not to mention their hierarchy." She panted, "Ky'gon, I'm aching in places I didn't know I had. Can I go back inside now?"

"_No._" Diana whined at his response before he could continue. "_However, the day is almost over and we have one final lesson then you may rest._"

Diana closed her eyes, inwardly crying and opened again. "What?"

"_You will use what you have learned on the wildlife around our area, then you shall return to Alha'uxi and tell him of what you learned._"

"Let's get this over with..." Ky'gon offered his hand and Diana took it, slowly being hoisted up by the large male. "Where to?"

"_Deeper into the forest, you mother and my allies will not follow though. This is a lesson that requires stealth_."

Pushing Diana along, Ky'gon and Diana disappeared into the jungle curtains, leaving Korrine behind to ponder more about what Ky'gon's name means in English and hoping that a Yautja's name, even translated, does not reflect their personality.

"_Come Oom-._" Alha'uxi coughed, "-_Koorene, we shall continue inside._" He slapped another large black fly away, "_Where these insects do not bite us._"

"If you can't say my name, don't worry about it. I can't say yours. So, if you want, Ooman is fine." Korrine smiled, joining the two males inside the cabin.

Deeper inside the jungle, Diana was perched aside Ky'gon in a large tree.

Again, that feeling rushed over her, the thrill of height's and painfully, ever so annoyingly, the _something_ returned. Fueling her every reaction. It became all to quickly a drug for Diana's mind, dragging her personality away and replacing it, substituting it for something more pure, a desire that still refused to reveal itself anymore beyond a super natural adrenalin rush with a lust for exerting ones self randomly in acts of physical stress and hard labor.

Ky'gon broke her from her freedom.

"_Dy'anna, pay attention._" He pointed to an animal that grazed in the grass, a monkey or possibly a small deer of some kind. Diana could not make out the form well enough.

"_Here._" Ky'gon handed Diana a spear-like object, yet dangling from it was assorted decorations from previous kills Ky'gon had made. "_Concentrate on the beast._" He aimed Diana in the correct direction.

Looking upon the creature with the spear in her hand jumped up the strength of the _something_that plagued Diana, suddenly, Diana felt herself move, against Ky'gon's wishes and instructions but he remained silent, not willing to lose their position.

In a swift movement, faster then lightning, but no where near as noticeable, Diana found herself standing over the creature that she could not make out before with a spear standing out from it's body.

The blur of colours was the action that took place, but nothing in Diana's mind made sense until her conscious regained itself and she realized what she had just done.

Red blood, darker then wine, poured from the innocent creatures wounds and mouth while it took it's last breath.

Diana was shocked out of her addiction and turned to face the surprise.

Ky'gon stood, amazed by Diana's sudden reaction.

Neither spoke while Ky'gon moved up and examined the creature and found not a sign of struggle.

"_A clean kill._" He nodded, the mask hiding his smile, "_I was not sure-_"

"Shut up!" Diana cried, causing Ky'gon to double take.

"_What_?"

"Just- Just don't." She sighed, her voice shaking, "Don't... compliment _that_." She growled, "It wasn't right... I-I don't know what happened. I couldn't stop, I had no idea w-what was going on... I just... d-did it." She sobbed.

Ky'gon cautiously approached, "_What is wrong?_"

"I killed a monkey." She mumbled, "Oh my God, what's wrong with me?!"

"_You were perfect in form, how can you be displeased?_"

Diana glared at him and growled, "What happened to me? What did I do?"

"_You moved from the tree, you made no sound and slayed the beast. You did surprisingly well._"

"I did good?" Diana questioned.

Ky'gon nodded, "_Very good._"

"It was a monkey."

"_It was your prey._"

"It was a defenceless animal." She growled back, "How can you be okay with that?"

Ky'gon shrugged, removing the spear from the animal's side. "_That was simple training, though, if you wish all you will have to slay in the future will be Hard Meat._" He huffed, "_Every hunter is more then happy to kill one of those serpents._"

"Hard Meat?" She asked, stepping closer to Ky'gon.

"_Very often a worthy kill, unless injured, underdeveloped or otherwise harmless._"

"Worthy kill-? What the bloody Hell is wrong with you?"

Ky'gon looked taken back as he holstered the spear, "_Wrong with me? Nothing at all._" He chuckled, walking in the direction back to Diana and Korrine's home. "_I have claimed many in my hunts. I have quite the impressive wall._"

"Wall? Of what? Dead bodies?" Diana's turn to huff and take the lead back home.

With a shake of his head, Ky'gon trotted aside Diana. "_No. The skulls of my kill._"

Diana skidded to a stop. "Skulls?! Disgusting!" She heaved, making a less then pleased expression. "Oh, that's freaky!"

"_Maybe to a female raised under Ooman laws, but not to a true Yautja. A true warrior._" He sported a smug smirk underneath his mask and his chest swelled, "_I am well on my way to becoming such an honoured warrior._"

"Don't get your hopes high." Diana murmured, thundering past him and his confused stance.

"_I do not understand._"

"I don't intend on explaining it."

"_Why?_"

"Because." She smirked as Ky'gon jogged up to her side again.

"_That is not a reason, nor even a sentence._" He growled.

Diana smiled, "Oh well."

Ky'gon growled deeply, walking behind Diana. "_Female, you are either the most confusing or most difficult I have ever been with, or both._"

"Do I get an award?"

Ky'gon puffed up his chest again, "_Unless you count being in the presence of the next great warrior._"

Diana rolled her eyes, "Not in the slightest."

"_Then no._"

"Bummer."

* * *

_**Blood Shifter2:**Pancakes are the awesomesause.  
Newaiz! Yeah, their going to regret it. Well, Alha'uxi and Small Stone will. Ky'gon will get himself some action. -wink, wink, nudge, nudge-_

_**GrimlockX4:** I'm just a bundle of confusion today, er, this week, aren't I? :D_

_**PureAngelEyes:**Actually, I was saving the proper intro's for this very chapter. Yay to you for noticing what apparently no other reviewer had!  
Kind of makes me think if my readers are just reading for a past time rather then entertainment.  
In any case, Alha'uxi, Nok-tjau'ke(Small Stone) and Ky'gon(Black Sound/Dark Voice) are Diana's trainers._


	17. Tricks

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times Diana and the trio are speaking Yautjan._

* * *

Dysfunctional family doesn't even begin to describe it.

For the past week, Alha'uxi, Small Stone, and Ky'gon had been taking their time training Diana. All carefully teaching her their talents, although, Small Stone would keep his greatest secrets to himself no matter how many times Diana begged him to answer her.

Though Small Stone taught Diana one important factor.

Stealth.

He was naturally talented at it, therefore, he taught her it instead of Alha'uxi or Ky'gon. Eventually, it became somewhat of a competition between Diana and Small Stone to see who could sneak up on who and scare them, though Small Stone never truly participated, he did find some entertainment out of foiling Diana's attempts to scare him.

Ky'gon, on the other hand, taught Diana agility when it came to moving swiftly in the trees, even though Small Stone was more trained in that field, he could not teach all he knew to Diana. That would have taken years. He also would instruct her on fighting styles, though, he was not able to teach her much since she insisted that they skip that lesson.

During agility training, Diana felt it necessary to distract Ky'gon any chance she could find and jump ahead of him, stealing herself from his self-glorified presence.

Each time, he fell for it.

Finally, Alha'uxi would school Diana in plans. His ability to strategies was uncanny to Diana. He was able to fool both Ky'gon and Small Stone into traps, to teach Diana. Though the two males found this hardly amusing while Diana would snicker in attempt to cover her laughter.

After the week and a half of strategies, sneaking around, and fighting, Diana was, for the first time, allowed to try and take down one of the three males.

It took an additional day before Diana made her move.

After nine days, Diana knew minimal compared to the trio of males, but what she lacked in knowledge and experience she made up for in gender.

Diana also learned that the females of the Yautja race were particularly fitter then the males, in addition they were also far more mature. Diana discovered that instead of men leading women, it was women leading men in the world of Yautja's.

All three of the males regretted teaching Diana of gender differences...

Diana's eyes flew open, glowing in the black night.

Silently, she lifted herself from her bed, crouched to the floor and started a slow pace out of her bedroom.

With her cloaking device activated, courtesy of Ky'gon, Diana quietly snuck through the hall, past her mother's bedroom and into the guest room where the trio of males shared the large living space.

Although underneath their standards in size, it was still rather large for a comfy cabin. It held Small Stone on a fully reclined couch that was just barely large enough for him to fit in.

Ky'gon took the floor boards where the pelt of some kind of animal, probably bear, was comforting his sleep.

Alha'uxi required the bed, mainly because he was older then the other two males and was a higher ranking in his clan.

Diana smiled, all three were sound asleep and since they disliked the door being closed, for a reason unknown to Diana, she was able to sneak in without a sound.

Usually the secluded cabin squeaked and creaked with every step taken, but now armed with her newest training and avoiding the attention of the trio of male testosterone, Diana was able to spend time finding every last weak floor board and gracefully dodged them like a minefield.

Stopping in the center of the room, Diana scanned around, taking a quick moment to assure herself the trio was still sleeping like logs. Diana stood up, slowly.

Cautiously, Diana turned off her cloaking device.

With a confident smile, Diana took a deep breath in, her chest and stomach inflating with air while her newly gained muscles fought to hold it all in.

One last glance, a final pray, remembering that she did in fact finish her will yesterday and left it in the top drawer of her nightstand, Diana let out the air with a glass shattering, ear pounding roar. Her muscles instead forced out the air and her roar was so terribly powerful it shook the cabin, scared birds out of the trees and send local animal predators running for the hills.

All at once, Alha'uxi lept from is bed, Ky'gon scurried up, clawing at the animal pelt that once was recognizable, and Small Stone suddenly shot from his relaxed place on the couch to face Diana threateningly.

For a split second, all four of the group got a good look at one another, directly before Ky'gon took off after Diana, Alha'uxi tried to trap her and take away the cloaking device, all the while Small Stone, assured he was alone, took his place back on the reclined couch and slept.

Outside was not so calm.

Korrine was awoken by Diana's ear splitting roar and was forced to jump up when she heared various other clicks and roars, all seemingly simultaneous.

Tying her night robe on, Korrine tracked the noise to the front door that was left wide open.

Spying around, Korrine's eye caught on Ky'gon attempting to stop Diana or, at least, get her down from her amazingly difficult spot on the tree.

Alha'uxi was flaming, growling so loud it drowned out Ky'gon's frustrated roars.

And all Diana did was giggle manically in the tree, swatting Ky'gon back down whenever he attempted to climb up.

Suddenly, Diana turned her eyes from Ky'gon to Korrine... who stomped up dangerously to the tree.

"Hi mum, sorry if I woke you..." Diana became much too aware the trouble she was in.

Ky'gon, while Diana was momentarily distracted, saw Diana's growing fear from her mother and took the opportunity to run up the tree, grab Diana and rip her down from the tree.

Landing on top of Ky'gon, Diana puffed, and struggled against Ky'gon who was determined to punish her.

"Knock it off!" Korrine cried, shivering.

Alha'uxi, Ky'gon, and Diana all stopped in their tracks, observing the tired woman.

"You two!" Korrine pointed to the males, "Back to bed."

The males glanced at each other and as Ky'gon stood, brushed himself off, the duo walked carefully back into the house, as if the slightest misstep would aggravate the already angered mother.

"And you," Korrine turned back to Diana, who gulped and rubbed the back of her neck. "Um, sorry mum?" She smiled nervously.

"Get to bed, now, you have chores in the morning."

Diana groaned, "Aw! But mum they-"

"No buts!" Korrine waved Diana off, "Bed."

Slumping down, Diana walked lazily back into the cabin.

Inside, after Diana and Korrine slipped back off into bed, Alha'uxi and Ky'gon stayed awake with Small Stone.

"_I do not believe I have ever been more afraid of an Ooman female before, elder._" Ky'gon did not even blink, he merely kept staring to the bedroom door, worried that the angry woman might return.

"_Nor have I._" Alha'uxi added, "_Reminded me much of our honoured females._"

* * *

_**Blood Shifter2:** No offence, but I don't like your brother. :[_

_**GrimlockX4:** BADLY._

_**foxykitsuneyouko: **Heh, thanks. ^^_

_**C.A.Q.:** :D_


	18. So long and Goodbye

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times Diana and the trio are speaking Yautjan._

* * *

This was it.

There they are.

And here it comes.

Goodbye.

She could not describe it in better words, much less believe it, that after two weeks of absolutely pissing off the Three Stooges, that they had finally come to a conclusion.

She, and her mother, were leaving them behind in the dangerous jungles surrounding Catalonia.

Diana felt it was wrong, which it was not wrong by definition, they had warned the trio that in two weeks they would return home, without them. But she could not shake the guilt of leaving them in the practically radioactive heat of the forests.

After all they shared, all the classes and pranks, Diana felt it hard to let go, choking up as she approached them, duffel bag stuffed with her belongings over her shoulder.

Korrine did not care if they left the trio behind, not trying to be rude, but they did kidnap her and were the main cause of Harvey's passing. She always felt resentment toward them all, but the look on her daughter's face turned her soft on the three males who better prepare for the hugs of their lives.

It happened fast, within seconds, but felt much to fast for Diana, who slowed it down as much as she possibly could. Taking in their appearance, personality, smell and everything that made the trio... the Three Stooges.

She walked in front of the group, dropping her duffel to the dried dirt road below and stood silently before them, no one dared to move.

That is, until Diana leapt forward, hugged Alha'uxi as if her life depended on it. Then again, he was the tallest and with Diana practically launching herself to wrap her arms around his neck forced him to support her weight, suspending her off the ground over a foot.

"I'll miss you Big Guy." She purred sadly, releasing him before turning to Small Stone and collapsing her arms around his neck as well.

Small Stone reacted more or less... like Small Stone. He patted her back, a small sign of '_I-like-you-as-a-friend-but-you're-touching-me.'_

After backing off from Small Stone, Diana dared a glance at Ky'gon, who sheepishly looked away the second she did and found himself turning hot with embarrassment, (as to why, he didn't know) and he shifted uncomfortably. This would be their farewell, they would never meet again.

Over the remaining days Diana clung to Ky'gon for protection from Small Stone and Alha'uxi when the two had their bouts with Diana.

Ky'gon, for the most past unless he was having _his_ bout with Diana, shielded her from his allies slowly growing impatience.

It had taken not but a second for Ky'gon and Diana to connect after their initial introduction. Not counting the time before Ky'gon's first personal training day with her or the time during Ky'gon, Alha'uxi, and Small Stones '_rude awakening_' as Korrine called it. It was also hers, but she got her revenge in the end.

Diana almost didn't have the courage to say goodbye to her new found friends, and race, but knew that if she left without saying farewell that she would regret it and possibly, very likely, insult the trio who spent their time on Earth training her when they could have been getting along with their business in the first place.

But, there it was. That fateful goodbye.

It seemed surreal, really.

As if Diana expected it to never happen, that the two weeks they had spent together would somehow convince them to keep in touch, to stick together. Or something along that sappy fiction romance novel plot line.

Yet Korrine brought her right back down to Earth the night before. Saying to pack her things, the private jet so generously supplied by Nicolas' parents would leave about 8 'o' clock in the evening with or without them on board.

So they had to be ready, it was an hour drive to get there (not counting traffic which was really non-existent around the air field) and the time it would take to get on board, it would be around the exact time the jet would take off, they would just barely make it in time.

"Tilly, love, we're going to be late." Korrine called from the old worn down station wagon they rented upon arrival.

"Bye, guys... see you, well, um... Have a good life I guess." Diana stumbled, her usually eccentric self disappeared instantly that day, leaving nothing left but a a girl that could closely be related to a kicked puppy.

"_And to you, Dy'anna." _Alha'uxi purred, in fact, all three purred. As Diana learned, that was common for males to purr to a distressed female, injured or other wise harmed in order to calm her.

Diana needed a lot of '_calming_' right about now, too.

"I guess... Well..." Diana prayed she'd meet them again, but felt the depressing blow that it was impossible and there was no person on Earth, or on their planet for that matter, that would return the trio to her.

"_Live well, keep what we have taught you in mind._" Small Stone nodded to Diana, who was pleasantly surprised he even decided to speak up.

"Thanks, Stone, I think I'll miss you the least." She giggled, playfully whacking his shoulder.

Small Stone grunted, "_Likewise, pup_."

Yes, Diana had managed to play jokes on Small Stone, and after one eventful night with a cloaking device and one very nerve racking roar, Small Stone had joined in on Diana's jokes. But in a matured-brotherly kind of way, merely to keep Diana entertained seeing as how that helped her learn his lessons easier.

"Tilly, we're just barely going to make it." Korrine smiled softly from the wagon. "That jet has a schedule to keep."

"Coming mum!" Diana cried back.

Diana turned around, threw the duffel bag's strap over her shoulder and walked to the station wagon, popping the trunk open, tossing the duffel bag in carelessly.  
She opened the passenger door, sliding in and shutting it behind her.

Korrine started the wagon with a mechanical thundering, and backed out.

In one last attempt to hold on to her sanity, tell herself that they were truly gone and she would have to adjust to life in England once more. Diana put her the palm of her hand against the window, hot as it maybe, before the wagon drove cautiously down the rocky driveway.

The trio stood in silence, each one saying their final goodbyes.

"_Alha'uxi?_" Ky'gon spoke up.

The eldest turned to face him, "_Yes?_"

"_Is it possible for us, or her, to ever meet again?_" He asked, sounding less hopeful then his question.

"_The Southern lands of Earth is where we hunt, her home is much further North, in the Ooman colonies. It would be dangerous and unwise for us to travel there without permission from the Elders._" Alha'uxi explained.

Ky'gon nodded, "_I understand, I simply asked._"

"_I do wish we will see her again._" Alha'uxi turned around heading straight for the jungle. "_We must continue our hunt, brothers._"

Small Stone turned silently, stalking ahead of Alha'uxi as he waited for Ky'gon.

"_Alha'uxi?_"

He sighed, "_Yes, Ky'gon?_"

"_Why was a hunter's ship in the Northern lands?_" Ky'gon finally faced Alha'uxi.

Alha'uxi shook his head, looking downward. "_I am... unsure. Whatever the reason, it is over now. Dy'anna must stay where she desires and this planet, with that Ooman; Koor'ene, is what she desires. We must honour that and move on._"

Ky'gon sighed before taking after Small Stone with Alha'uxi.

"_Should we at least watch her go?_"

Alha'uxi nearly tripped and fell at the question.

"_I said we should move on, somehow I honestly doubt that following her until she takes the Ooman's ship to the Northern lands is moving on._" Alha'uxi stared at Ky'gon surprised.

"_Though it would be closure._"

"_That she is gone?_"

"_That she is safe._"

Alha'uxi growled, as if taking time to think about it.

It would be the wiser choice to allow Diana to leave in peace in the pale green human transportation vehicle and leave it at that. Knowing Ky'gon though, that would not be an option if he ever wanted to hear the end of it.

"_Ky'gon. This is what an unblooded pup would do, but I know you much to well._" Alha'uxi growled, "_Fetch Small Stone, Koor'ene had shown us where their destination was, it is not far. We will make better time on foot._"

Ky'gon smiled beneath his mask, "_At once!_" He roared before darting off after Small Stone.

Alha'uxi turned back, walking onto the rocky pathway Diana and Korrine had left on.

"_That pup will be my death._"

* * *

_**GrimlockX4**: Yeah, we get REALLY pissed don't we?_  
_It bugs me to my very core that men find it amusing when a woman is pissed too, I want to shred them to bit! Or... maybe that's just my insane side talking again. I don't know, she's a bit of a loonie._

_**infernothechinchilla: **Yupperz! :D Small Stone's more exhausted then he'll ever be in his entire life when their all done._  
_I can see it now:_  
_Small Stone finally arrives at his home/room (whatever) on their home planet, ready to just fall on the bed and pass out, not even caring about his armour or not._  
_In his mind he's already asleep, but he's still on his feet. Damn those feet._  
_He falls, ready to feel the warm embrace of the furs of his bed._  
_Suddenly, the embrace is replaced by a hard metal that cracks against his heavy fall, supposedly onto his bed._  
_Growling, alert and awake now, he looks around. Using his mask to scan the area._  
_There she was, AGAIN!_  
_Diana was laughing her head outside his room after hearing the crack of his armour against the metal slab placed on top of his bed._  
_How she got it there? He has no clue, but what he does know is what he's going to do to her once he gets his talons on her.  
__Heheh, just a little fun!_

_**Blood shifter2**: Nope, though I hate that fucking truth, it is what it is, the truth. I switch my father in the blink of an eye. Trust me. -.-_  
_Well, you've managed once again to review, though I am not surprised YOU reviewed again, I am thankful you like my story enough to hold on through the writers block._  
_Thanks Shifter! You. Are. DA BOMB!_

_**wicked falcon**: You know what else is funny?_  
_You. Yeah, uh huh! You heard me! I swear, I see your name EVERYWHERE I GO._  
_On FF, some of my favorite stories has "Thanks wicked falcon!" written ALL OVER THEM._  
_How the hell do you do that?!_  
_:D_  
_I'm playin' wit'chu._  
_Though, your name is everywhere and it's creepy at the same time completely awesome, but you got yourself another one._  
_Thanks wicked falcon!_

_**Conquest:** Well, yeah! I NEVER abandon stories. EVER. I hate people that do so I pace myself, even if it takes me a while to update, be sure I won't leave this story._  
_Ever._  
_In ever._

**_WrathofMugen:_** _UPDATED!_  
_BOOYAH!_  
_Your wish is fulfilled. -insert Spongebob face here-_


	19. Escape!

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times Diana and the trio are speaking yautjan._

* * *

Korrine had comforted Diana since leaving the trio behind. The entire way, Korrine remained silent, offering only quiet gestures.

Diana thought more about the next day, the plane ride, home, Nicolas and Danni, beyond that eveything almost disappeared. The subject's she worried herself with made the drive to the airport long and tiring, but Korrine had ways to quicken it up.

"Tilly, love?" Korrine glanced to Diana then back to the road ahead of her, "Don't worry so much, they'll be fine." She smiled, rubbing Diana's shoulder.

"I know, mum." Diana looked to Korrine with a lopsided grin, "I'm not worried about them or anybody... I'm just going to miss them, that's all." Diana laughed sadly, "I wish dad was here."

Korrine nodded slowly, running her hand over Diana's irregular skin, "Listen Tilly, I know we're not the best parents and I know we're not your blood parents, but your father and I did everything we could to make your life perfect and I also know that no matter what, your father wouldn't want you to feel this way, he'd want you to be strong." Korrine sniffed before bringing her hand from Diana to put under her nose, "But I miss him too, Tilly."

Diana looked ahead, it was a long and covered driveway to the air strip. It had overhanging forest trees with vines and broken branches forcing Korrine to drive slower, watching carefully where dead debre had fallen.

"For Nicolas' parents being so rich, think they could have at least cleared out the path to the jet?" Korrine sighed, every now and then bringing herself up to look over the hood and around the car, "Should have bought the rental insurance..."

Diana rolled her eyes, "I told you."

Korrine huffed, offering a playful side glare before the green wagon stopped at the gate and booth, "Hi there." Korrine pulled out the pass and showed it to the man in the booth, after examining it closer, the man gave it back and the gate's rolled open.

The moment the trees broke off and they could properly see the airstrip, Korrine stopped the car. "Diana, get down!" Korrine waited as Diana climbed into the back seat and hid behind and under the seats, "Just stay there until I figure out what their doing here."

"Who mum? Diana whispered, trying to keep her tall and wide form hidden between the seats. "I don't know, but their in suits and they have a number of cars, black cars." Korrine watched the news, she had seen the Queen of England surrounded by black cars, driven by men in black suits. Secret service they were called, however, they had many names across the pond, FBI and CIA most fit these catagories, unless these men were simply local security.

Korrine slowly drove the wagon into the airstrip, being mindful of the cars and people while she reached the plane. "Don't move, I'm going to get someone to load our bags, if these men don't leave, we'll sneak you on behind the luggage." Korrine opened her door and stepped out, closed the door then walked to the baggage man and requested help with their supplies.

All the while, Diana tried to keep listening for anything strange. Though, the jet was loud and preped for take off, so no matter what, nothing else but the roaring engines could be heard. Diana would just have to hope those men went away.

Korrine handled herself like any other business matter, she stood straight and gave the suited men the deadeye. It was uncomforting to act hostile to the men for Korrine, but Diana was very close to being caught with no escape.

"Ma'am." A man stepped forward, offering his hand, "I am Harold Carlson. A pleasure to meet you." Korrine shook his hand and narrowed her eyes, "I'm Korrine Beck. Why are you here?"

"Misses Beck, I have flown here on a lead concerning the people I work for, we have tracked it here, from your home in Newcastle England, to Catalonia. With you." He explained, walking over to a folded out table.

Korrine watched silently as he put the suitcase on the table, turned the code and unlocked the case. Inside were multitudes of papers... and a pistol. Korrine took a deep breath while the man, Harold, sorted through the paper's, until reaching a certain piece and held it out towards Korrine. "Ma'am, this is a matter one of national concern."

Korrine cautiously took the vanilla folder, taking her eyes off of Harold, Korrine saw inside the folder. First page was a calculation of locations, from China to Moscow Russia, Nigeria Africa to California USA, and the last had three locations yet the final's were catagorized as _current objective_, the three included the Scotish Highlands to Newcastle England to Catalonia South America.

Korrine gulped, _Newcastle to Catalonia._ She knew it then, these people were after Diana, they already knew she existed.

With hurry, Korrine took in all the other locations that had _see page -x-_ written under them. China, the Forbidden City which was marked red with had _encountered, captured_ aside it. The other in Inyo California, beside was _encountered, executed._ Yet the one that caught Korrine's eyes was a section squared off with _encountered, escaped, trapped- no transport._ What that meant, Korrine had no idea, but whatever was _trapped_ was in Atlanta Georgia, a very well known and heavily populated city.

Korrine glanced to Harold who was waiting patiently with his guards surrounding them both and the airstrip.

Flipping the page, Korrine spotted another catagorization page, simply filled with _sightings_ and _encounters_. The main body was _captured_ while the rest were either _escaped_ or _executed_.

"Turn to page twenty-seven." Harold hinted, "If you are offended by graphic violence, then please, allow me." Harold again offered his hand, but to take the folder.

Korrine was mature enough, she had been through thick and thin, especially as of late, what was in this folder she could hold her own. "No thank you." Korrine nonchantly turned her attention to the papers in her hand as she turned the next over.

She had to admit, she was taken back, this was page twenty-four and a number of pictures were paperclipped in place. This was Nigeria Africa, a small village with only a handful of residents were all crowded around behind the body hanging upside down off of a tree branch... without skin. There were men in black suits holding the civilians back as she contained the deceased.

Page twenty-five was no better, possibly worse. It held two pictures one smaller then it's second half, it was from the Forbidden City in China, located inside a large feasting hall were dozens upon dozens of bodies were hung skinless from the ceiling, a few bodies strewn across the ground yet all were not missing skins but lacked their heads any longer.

Korrine turned the page hastily over to twenty-six. There was a new one, although the other's were far from Korrine and Diana's home, this one was taken somehow very close to a spot where Korrine and Harvey had been on their honeymoon. London England, inside of a metro station. This time the picture had very little gore like the other's had, all except for an impaled man in a black suit, a large and unrecognizable weapon dropped on the floor.

What stunned Korrine was that the culprets of the last photos were no where in sight, this one was standing under an obviously electric net while armoured men approahed it. The accused was a massive male yautja, Korrine could tell that with her size and the size of the human men trying to put the male down in the picture, that this yautja was larger then her Diana and was at least a foot taller then Alha'uxi who was the tallest of the hunter trio.

Finally, Korrine turned to page twenty-seven, of which was the worst of all the pictures. No headless bodies or skinless men could compare.

There, in the picture, behind two adult yautja, stood a familiar form. One coloured and shaped exactly like Diana. The child, or pup in this case, was injured, from it's leaning against the adult female, foot resting on it's toes. It was Diana, in the Scotish Highlands behind her two guardians who were fighting people off the picture.

"That's who we are here for." Harold pointed at the pup in the photo, "We know she's here, Misses Beck."

Korrine flipped through the many pictures, out of all _encounters_ this page had the most. Ones from over twenty years ago, all of Diana and her guards. It was strange though, the guards holding and protecting Diana in all the photos that were taken when they were fighting donned heavier, shielded armour, unlike the Three Stooges. The male had ebony black armour with golden engravings and the female wore the exact same thing, no difference of any sort.

These were no ordinary yautja, Korrine could tell that much from what the trio had taught her.

"I know you know about them and it had come to our attention that you have been sheltering one of them." He carefully took the folder from Korrine's hands, taking out two pictures, one of each of the yautja's that were with Diana.

"See him?" Harold passed her the picture of the male hunter, "His name is Ro'tuk'al, he is what they call an Huntsmaster. The armour he is wearing is that of, for lack of a better word, royalty. He is an heir to the throne so to speak, he is the son of a great Elder, the highest ranking one of their kind could ever hope to achive, nontheless, being a male and a great Elder is something to brag about." He smiled, taking the picture back.

"This one, she's special." Korrine examined the picture closely while he expanded, "Her name is Kyv'iko and she was already an a Clan Leader but her reputation proceeds all the others. She was revered as a brave warrior and a compassionate leader in the yautja clans, they are our equevelent of a married couple, as they call them; mates. The child with them is their daughter, she was never named, she was too young and in their culture, a yautja earns their name, they are not born with it." Harold took the picture back, handing one of the pup or Diana.

"We called her Omni," He started, "She was a participator in a funded private company called Preterhuman Research Establishment and Government Archives, we are a specially organized compound which focuses specifically on any... inhuman activity on Earth and the atmosphere, beyond that all non-human lifeforms are free to do as they please without interruption from us." He explained, "Omni's parents entered the atmosphere fourty years ago and landed first in the United States, then traveled to Scotland, where we found and captured them before any more damage was done."

Korrine nodded, "But... These pictures were taken... twenty years ago." Korrine had checked the dates and did again for closure, "How long did you have them?"

"They landed fourty years ago, it took us around nine years to pinpoint their location. We held them for approximately twenty to thirty years." Harold answered, he did not bother searching through the papers for the exact time, he was not present during the years the compound had first captured and calmed them.

"However, the child, or pup as they call them, was born near the end of their captivity. When a test was successful, Kyv'iko was impregnated and Omni was born." Harold set the folder down before taking up another and handing it to Korrine, "Omni was beyond all others, human or yautja, she was perfect... she is perfect." Harold smiled widely as Korrine opened the folder.

The slightly smaller folder contained medical information about _Omni_ and her birth, all until it stopped with unfinished tests and unconcluded psychological and anatomical studies as they were titled.

Harold pointed to the green wagon Korrine arrived in, "She's in there, isn't she?" He grinned and stared on the wagon with an unmistakable determination Korrinw suddenly began to worry about.

He knew Diana was here, there was no hiding her now, "Yes, just... Just give me a minute." Korrine gave the folder back to Harold and made her way to the car, excusing all other guards around the car, Korrine opened the door Diana hid behind.

"Mum, who are they?" Korrine helped Diana exit the car before closing the door again, "Tilly, these men are with the government, they know about you and the yautja." She explained, "They know about your parents."

Diana looked around herself and Korrine, "What do they want?" She glared at the man approaching from the hanger, "I don't know exactly, but it would be a good idea not to mention Alha'uxi, Small Stone, and Ky'gon to them." Korrine strained two of the three's names, "That man there is Harold Carlson, he was there when you were born..."

Diana growled, "Bullocks."

"Watch your language." Korrine scoffed, "But you're right, I don't believe it either... Though, he has pictures Tilly, from before I even knew you existed. That about your parents may just be talk, I don't know what for and I'm not going to go around believing everything he says just because he had connection to the government."

The second Korrine finished, Harold had stepped behind her, "It's good to see you again, Omni."

Diana narrowed her eyes, "_Again_?" She questioned, "And what the hell is _Omni_?" Diana stepped up to Harold, gently pushing Korrine out of the way.

"Right, how rude of me," Harold nodded, "I am Harold Carlson of Preterhuman Research Establishment and Government Archives." Harold stood and smiled, Diana and Korrine looked on, expecting more.

"Uh, hi, I'm Diana Beck." Diana smiled back awkwardly, "What do you want?"

Harold chuckled, looking back to his men and to Korrine, "We lost something very important to us all those years ago," Harold was ignoring Diana's existance completely, "We are here to retrieve it."

Korrine raised a brow, "You mean _her_, don't you?"

Harold sighed and nodded. "I mean Omni, yes, she is a very valuble subject and the moment my superiors got word of her survival they sent me and my team out to find and capture Omni to finish what we started."

Korrine and Diana looked to each other. A very rare moment passed where both the mother and daughter knew precisely what the other was thinking and how to do it.

They had to get out of the airstrip and fast, not only that, but reach the jungle and hide in the Temple, it was the safest place they could go. With any luck, the trio may have not disappeared yet and they could help hide Korrine and Diana.

All they had to do now was get out of the there and leave, hopefully along the way shake their pursuers and with what Harold has been saying, they sure as life will chase them down until they die.

"What are these unfinished tests exactly?" Korrine stalled, allowing time for Diana to look around, possibly come up with a means of escape, "The tests are simple. We just want to find out what makes a yautja tick, Omni here is a very odd one. She was conceved and born within Earth's atmosphere and that allows her to live easily in human life. On the other hand, if she remains in a human enviroment, including oxygen count and weather conditions, her measured life span is shortened greatly."

Korrine blinked, Diana snapped her head back to Harold, "My life span?" Diana questioned, Harold turned to her and hummed, "A yautja can exceed human life times by over one thousand years, naturally of course. However, yautja are not very big with keeping to their own planet or space ships so when they arrive on Earth, breath the air for an exdended period of time and multiple times in one life, then they damage their own life expectancy rate." Harold tapped his chin, looking to the sky in thought, "An average yautja lives about two thousand years to twenty thousand years, but without breathing alien air on any planet or consuming alien foods, they can live any where from between fifty thousand and seventy thousand. They live very long lives, unfortunately, they insist on ruining them."

Diana was stunned, the Three Stooges had taught her yautja life span, but maybe they didn't know about the dangers of breathing on Earth... "Wait." Diana shook her head lightly to remove herself from her trance, "What's the air like on thei- I mean, our planet?"

Harold knew she had never been, Diana was living on Earth her entire life and that had no doubt caused some forms of internal damages, "The yautja home planet, Yautja Prime, has thirty-five percent more oxygen and fifteen percent more hydrogen. It's a natural requirement due to their large size and superhuman abilities also far more... difficult reasons to explain why."

"Excuse us." Korrine gently pulled Diana away, behind the green wagon as Harold and the men patiently awaited their return.

"Oh hell, what are we going to do?" Korrine groaned inwardly, "We have to get out of here, but how..." The two looked around, attempting to avoid suspicion from Harold and his guards.

Diana tapped the car, "We drive."

Korrine sighed, "How? Harold and his men are watching us like their next meal, we won't have enough time to get in, start it up, and leave without them either stopping us or trailing behind. That won't do much good if we run into Alha'uxi and his group."

"Buy me time, I'll get in and, oh I don't know, say I'm going to take something with me and we'll go." Diana shrugged, "That's not going to work, he has far to many people watching us and what happens when you start it?"

Diana smiled, "You jump in." Korrine looked tiredly aside to Harold, "It's all we've got. I'll stall him, just move fast and make sure the doors are unlocked when you start it up."

Korrine and Diana turned to Harold, stepped back up to him and nodded, "She would like to take something with her, Mister Carolson, she had a necklace I gave her years ago and she's very nostalgic. She dropped it on the ride here so it may take her a bit." Korrine smiled widely.

Harold agreed with a gesture, "Of course, she'll be a patient, not a prisoner. What ever items you please, so long as they're not weapons of any form or could be forged into such."

Diana turned and jogged around the car, popping the drivers side and leaning in, as if searching for the necklace.

Korrine managed to keep Harold busy, the jet running still so any tries as listening in to count down her time was a failure and Diana would, once more, have to guesstimiate her time.

Diana pulled herself into the car, sitting in the drivers seat trying to remain inconspicuous to all the men's eyes as they watched both Korrine and herself. Korrine had left the key in the ignition due to their stressed arrival at the airstip upon spotting the many people planned for them.

Carefully, Diana looked around the car, acting as if searching for the necklace while truly getting herself ready to turn the car over and race out of the airstip.

"You can do this... You've driven a car before... You can do this, you can do this, you can do this..." Diana chanted to herself, resting her hand on the ignition.

"Three..." Diana placed her foot over the accelerator petal, "Two..." Diana moved her left hand onto the gear shifter, "One." With a deep breath, Diana turned the key.

The last thing she could tell was Korrine rushing to the car door, Harold had been shoved onto the ground by Korrine and Harold's guards were now pulling guns from their holsters.

The noise was unbearable as Diana ducked her head down, the bullets missing her head by an inch. The jet engines and the car combined could not silence the bang of the guns, not even a familiar voice shouting at a def Diana. Then a quick realization that Korrine was not in the car.

* * *

_**Blood Shifter2:**Are you kidding me?! I love your reviews! Please! Do more! :D  
Yay! I love him already! Tell him he's awesome for me!  
Coincidentally, I myself will be an aunt soon. My sister has a baby boy on the way too! She's going to call him Jackson. I can't wait 'til he's born, I swear I'll be the biggest sap to him in the world.  
Well, the Three Stooges (Small Stone excluded) won't actually affirm their safety. x3_

_**C.A.Q:** Oooooo! Find out next time on the adventures of Diana Beck and her romantic interest-!  
Awwww... I'm not telling you! xD_

_**GrimlockX4:** You know I love you right?_

_**Nicholas Cunning:** What?! You did? That's so... oh, what is it? Like me. Haha! I do that all the time, of course, once or twice isn't bad but I'm obsessed and when I find a good fan fiction online after I'm in bed I use my Blackberry to read the rest... By then it's about two in the morning like you said and I have work tomorrow. I'm an insane fan, WATCH OUT!_

_**Malakia:** NOES TEARSSSS!!!  
I update! I UPDATE! SEEE?!?!  
0.0  
Now you probably think I'm just crazy, but that's fine, 'cause it's true. :D  
I'm glad you think so by the way, I was so worried about how things would play out, if my writing skills were up to this and all that, but it seems to have attracted many readers... So I guess it's all cool. ^.^_


	20. Life's like an Electric Net

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

* * *

Driving the large, clunky green wagon was much more difficult then Diana originally thought, after all, the only cars she had ever driven was a SUV and a compact car. There was nothing like this green giant she had ever seen. Sure, there were wagons on the roads back home, heck, there were literal wagons and carts pulled by horses, but this wagon on the rocky roads of Catalonia was a different story.

"I cannot believe you forgot to unlock the doors!" Korrine cried as Diana took a sharp right, "Directly after I told you to check and make sure they were unlocked!" Diana was in a panicked state, she could drive but she was no professional.

"Mum, which way?!" Diana was coming to an intersection, one Korrine had passed on, "Left! LEFT!"

Diana released the accelerator and yanked the stearing wheel off to one side, the wagon tipped onto it's right wheels, teasing it's passengers with the thought of turning on it's side only to slam back down onto the ground, taking off once more like a rocket.

"Their following us!" Diana looked in the rear view mirror, "What do we do?!"

"Just keep your eyes on the road, I'll see if I can't take care of them." Korrine unbuckled her seat belt and turned around, pulling hard items out of the bags, "They didn't unload everything." Korrine rolled down the back seat window and leaned out, tossing with all her ability to hit the windshield of their pursuers.

"Hold on mum!" Korrine ducked back into the car, holding tightly onto the car door and seat as Diana hit the brakes to make a hard right, "Almost there!" Korrine called up front to Diana, "Thank God." Diana held the steering wheel steady as they drove top speed down a rocky road.

Korrine looked back, grabbed a heeled shoe and leaned back out of the window, but before she was out all the way, a shot rang through her ears, forcing her back into the car. "Mum!" Diana shouted over the noise, "Are you alright?!"

Checking the cars following them, Korrine spotted the shooter. The passengers in Harold's car, all of the passengers. "Diana, their really mad now sweety, think we can rush this up a bit?" Korrine looked on with frightened eyes as the men took aim.

"I'm trying!" Diana pushed down on the accelerator, "But I don't want to crash either!"

"Crashing isn't an issue if we can still run!" Korrine saw the three men in the car preparing to fire, "Diana get down!" Korrine dodged behind the seat while Diana had to remain content by ducking her head a bit.

Then there were the gun shots again. So many it became to hard to count, as as each one went off, Diana and Korrine could see them gradually becoming closer and closer to their intended target.

Diana took to swerving in an attempt to manuver out of fire until they reached the Temple, or at least the jungle wall. At times the bullets would come near and some would be heard but never noticed until Diana swerved into the path of one perfectly aimed bullet and while Korrine remained covered and out of sight, Diana's arm was not so lucky.

Diana roared out as her right arm lost strength and as she began to lose control over the car, "Diana!" Korrine kept herself down but climbed into the front again, taking control of the wheel. "Oh my God!" Korrine took the car down another road, "Are you okay? Is it bad?" Korrine glanced repeatedly back to the wound.

"I don't know! I've never been shot!" Diana cried, "You should be driving! I can't drive in the first place!" Diana held the bullet wound, "Why am I driving anyways?!"

"Because Harold wouldn't pay attention to you for two seconds!" Korrine began to drive down the long pathway to the house, "He treated you more like an object instead of a person!" Korrine cried.

Korrine looked ahead of the trees, "Hit the brakes!" Diana looked up and released the petal and slammed down on the brakes until the car came to a stop. "Come on!" Korrine opened her door and Diana jumped out, the two looking behind them as Harold and his guards were now approaching.

"Into the jungle, we have to reach the Temple." Korrine grabbed Diana's good arm and while Diana still kept holding the wound, Korrine tugged Diana along in tow straight into the jungle canopy.

Behind them they could hear the squealing brakes of the agents cars and the doors popping open. Not long after the sounds of the cars, came the sounds of twigs and branches being snapped in pursuit of the mother and daughter.

Diana looked around behind them, she could not spot any of the men... nor any of the trio, wherever they may be. "Mum!" Diana took initiative, let go of her wound and grabbed Korrine, taking the much smaller woman up in her good arm as her adrenalin kicked into full gear.

There it was again, but this time a tree was not required. Diana felt a need and this aching was not answered. The drive to flee from the armed assailants grew inpossibly deeper as Diana began running and dodging trees as if she had been doing it for years. Nothing in the jungle so far called for Diana to use the skills she learned from the Stooges, but to Diana, her growing desire to do whatever this need was was so powerful no longer could she contain herself.

With an ear splitting roar, Diana launched herself forward at speeds unnatural and a passion unknown.

Turning on a dime, Alha'uxi, Small Stone, and Ky'gon all heard a very familiar roar, but not in a familiar expression. It was pained and full of rage, this set the trio on edge as the echo finally stopped.

The trio looked to each other, "_Dy'anna._" Ky'gon took off out of his companies sight, "_Ky'gon!_" Alha'uxi called after before he also left Small Stone behind.

Small Stone took a quick look around before turning his cloaking device on and disappearing into the trees.

"_Ky'gon, wait!_" Alha'uxi grabbed a hold of Ky'gon's shoulder, jerking the younger hunter back, "_Wait!_" He demanded as Ky'gon regained himself from the forest floor, "_What ever is causing such a sound out of a female is not an average opponent and could very well be a trap._"

Ky'gon panted and nodded, "_Right, of course..._" He took a deep breath to calm himself, "_What do we do then?_"

"_First, we find her and what is causing her stress, then we deal with it._" Alha'uxi growled, his cloaking hiding him from Ky'gon's sight as he disappeared the same way.

Diana and Korrine had arrived at the Temple, both ignoring the pursuers nearby. Even if the agents found them they would have a higher chance fighting back and winning then they did outside without shielding from bullets.

"Diana, keep pressure on it." Diana took a seat on a large block of stone, her adrenalin rush caused her to forget about the bullet wound. "Right... We need to hide." Diana grabbed her arm again, holding over the wound tightly.

"It's just one large square..." Korrine checked along the walls, "With only one exit." She sighed, looking back to Diana. "There's no where to hide."

Footsteps increased, the sounds raised as the men came closer to the entrance. "Here they come." Diana stood up and Korrine stayed at her side.

"Tilly, love." Korrine turned to Diana who smiled sadly down to her mother, "They're going to take you away..." Korrine sniffed, "I don't know where our guests have gone, but once they have you outside make as much noise as you can, maybe they'll hear you." She petted Diana's good arm, "I don't think they are going to take me with you."

Diana sunk back onto the stone slab, "I don't want to go." Korrine wrapped her arms around Diana's neck, stoking the side and back of her head, "I know love, I don't want you to go either..."

"Korrine Beck," Harold turned the corner, "I'm afraid you have become a liability to our cause and must be dealt with immediately." Harold waved his hand, calling the other guards in. "Detain Omni."

The men all raised their guns, pistols and rifles, including a weapon Korrine noticed looked exactly like the weapon in the photo of the yautja being captured in the metro station. It was designed for a purpose, but it looked like everyday technology yet it charged up, flashed a light or two and made an uncanny resemblance to Alha'uxi's shoulder cannon, just adapted into a hand gun.

Diana stood up and released her arm, watching the men who took small steps toward her. "Sod off." She growled, attempting to keep all the guards in her sight, in hopes to avoid capture, a survival instinct.

The man carrying the strange gun Korrine kept an eye on aimed at Diana specifically and the weapon began to light up.

Harold approached Korrine, "You are under arrest for protecting a national threat." He turned Korrine around, against her struggles, and snapped cuffs on her wrists, "You will be transported to the nearest police station after which you will be taken to a high security prison for aiding terrorist activity."

Korrine blinked, "Terrorist activity?!" She howled as Harold began dragging Korrine out of the room, "She's not a threat!"

Diana roared and took off towards the guardsmen straight at Harold and Korrine. Diana couldn't care less about what Harold just screamed and what the men were doing, she simply wanted Korrine out of his hands.

In addition to her arm now, Diana was shot again, this time with something far different then a bullet. It was electricity that corsed through her body as she became aware of the falling net that shocked with electricity as it landed on her, weights at the ends held her and the net down to the ground. Diana rested on one knee as she tried to stand again.

"Weapons on stun, knock her out then take her to the plane." Harold said before he and a crying Korrine left from sight, behind the Temple's walls.

Few guns actually fired, they knew it wouldn't take much to take Diana down under usual circumstances, but she wasn't giving up.

Diana tried clawing the net, pulling the net, even tried finding the edges all the while under attack by the weapons the men carried. Nothing seemed to work, either the net never ended or they were making sure she couldn't find the end, the last one being the most likely.

Holding her own, Diana pushed on the net, lifting the heavy weights on all ends, eventually coming to a stop when the weights pulled on the corners answering to gravities pull. The net stretched, but would not tare nor move enough for Diana to slip out of it's detainment.

Korrine screamed and fought against Harold, knowing that net from the file book was built to take yautja down quickly. Harold kept a firm grip on the considerably weaker woman while she cried for Diana, beating Harold's arm and anything she could reach to help weaken his grasp, yet the man was made out of steel and ignored Korrine's pleas.

She could hear pained roars and gun shots echoing out of the Temple knowing there was no way to get back and even if she could, the men were armed and far stronger then her, she could never free Diana without one or both of them being killed instantly.

Right when Korrine stopped to listen, hearing no more roars or sounds of any kind, Korrine knew Diana was unconscious and they must now be securing her down, preparing her for a long trip.

Korrine tugged again, tripping over her own feet in heartbreak while Harold tried to pick her up. Korrine did not fight back, Diana was gone and she would be a prisoner for a crime she had not commited.

When Korrine began to walk with Harold, another roar blasted so loud and so close, Korrine could not mistake it's owner, or owner's.

A thump came down, landing directly in front of Harold and Korrine. With one fell swoop, a dagger had peirced Harold's chest, once removed Harold fell as Korrine silently thanked God.

"_Koorene_." A familiar bellowed, "_Where is Dy'anna?_"

Korrine looked behind her, into the Temple, "Inside. I think she's unconscious now, please, you've got to help her."

Alha'uxi waited as Small Stone cleaned off his blade quickly before Ky'gon appeared behind Alha'uxi. "_Who has the force to corner one of us?_"

Korrine pointed to Harold, "He does and so does who works for him, they're inside and they're hurting Diana, you've got to hurry!" Korrine pulled on Alha'uxi's hand, he nodded in return and once more the trio disappeared.

After watching the footprints disappear into the Temple, Korrine went searching for Harold's cuff key in hopes to prevent any more damage to her wrists.

* * *

_**Uros Osium Tokker:** Oh, it's okay, all the reviews have told me killing Harvey made me a complete bi-I MEAN, witch... Yeah, that...  
If Korrine bites the dust, then I'll offically KILL MYSELF so no other readers have to go through all the trouble of finding who I am and where I live, then stalk me months in a row for a perfect oppertunity to kill me.  
I love villains, so maybe I'm a bit backwards on ya' here, but when Docter Doom was announced dead in MARVEL comics, I lost my mind. He's so awesome, he's going to rip the fabric of time and come here just to rule us all._

_**Blood Shifter2:**BY THE FORCE, YOU SEE THE FUTURE. xD  
Am I _that_ predictable?_

_**GrimlockX4:**Two? o.o There's three! Alha'uxi, Small Stone, and Ky'gon. What story were you reading?  
Anyways, I'M NOT TELLING YOU. LOL._


	21. Friend Yautja

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

* * *

Ky'gon rushed in directly behind Alha'uxi and Small Stone was being his usual self, quiet but more prepared then them.

With their cloaking on, the trio silently made their way into the Temple, down the long corridor to the room where they had first met Diana and attempted to sacrifice Korrine.

Low sounds of human voices could be heard echoing through the halls and into the large room Korrine had told them Diana was at.

Alha'uxi slowed down, tighting the space between the wall and himself before stopping at the entrance. He only peered over the edge.

The scene before him caused concern. Diana was wrapped in the net, now switched off, and hoisted into a large stretcher with heavy reinforcement. The men lifting her were having some difficulty due to her size, but the others stood behind, guns and the stun weapon aimed directly at her even though she was unconscious.

The net was the only obstacle that Alha'uxi would have to worry about. Alha'uxi used all of his mask's sights to observe the armed humans and Diana. Small Stone and Ky'gon could worry about the armed men, but Alha'uxi's thermal vision said the net was the point of interest, with a push of a button the net could be set far to high for any living creature to take and could kill Diana. They would have no chance to save Diana with the humans holding the advantage.

"_Alha'uxi, what do you see?_" Small Stone whispered, he quickly caught onto Alha'uxi's troubled determination. "_The ooman's outnumber us, but that is no concern truly. I am bothered by the netting they have wrapped Dy'anna in. It is electrical and if they do so decide they can kill her before we ever reach her._"

Ky'gon crouched down beneath Alha'uxi to see for himself, "_How many can turn the netting on?_"

Alha'uxi scanned the room, seeing only repeating equipment on the humans, "_I cannot tell. Either we slay these ooman fast or we find a way to pursuade them to show us._"

Ky'gon looked up to Alha'uxi and Small Stone took used his own mask to scan the room and the humans, "_You have a plan?_" Small Stone spoke, not turning his attention from the targets.

"_Possibly..._" Alha'uxi still tried to use his mask to find the remote, "_I do not know if it will work._"

Small Stone nodded, "_Let us try it. What is it?"_

Alha'uxi pointed to Diana, "_Move her in some way, make it seem like she's still awake... The ooman holding the remote will want to confirm Dy'anna's unconsciousness and with our cloaking we will not be-"_ "Tango's at the door!" A human shouted as the entire room lit up with guns firing in the trio's direction. Bullets wizzing past their heads as they ducked behind the frame entrance.

_"How can they see us_?" Ky'gon stood back up as the gun's stopped firing. _"I do not know_..." Alha'uxi sighed, almost shot in the head overlooking a dangerous situation. _"It is not impossible that the ooman's have technology much like ours. If you had not noticed, there were many with large masks on over their eyes, most likely a device meant to see in different sights_." Small Stone pointed out, neither of the others spotted anything of the sort.

"_We have to go in after Dy'anna._" Alha'uxi concluded, "_She is in a very dangerous place right now, we must fight._" He looked back to the room, using his heat vision he could see the humans approaching the door, "_And fast._"

"_There were at minimum fifteen armed in the room._" Small Stone answered, "_It should be fair to have five for each of us._" Alha'uxi nodded his agreement, "_Very well, Ky'gon, you are on the left, I will take the ones behind Dy'anna and Small Stone will take the right._" Ky'gon armed himself, taking out his combi stick.

"_Watch the ooman's closely though, if one takes out a remote, go after him, leave the others behind. We are here to rescue Dy'anna, this will be marked a failure if she dies._" Alha'uxi snapped his disc out as Small Stone checked over his blades, "_Cloaking will not help us, keep it off to conserve it._"

The trio stood behind the entrance, ready to barge into the room. "Wait!" Korrine jogged over, "Stop!" She stood behind the trio, each equally confused.

"_Koorene, it is best you wait outside where it is safe._" Alha'uxi stood up to her, his translator buzzing to life.

"I know, it's just there's a man holding a very strange gun in there. I recognized the design though, it looks like your shoulder cannons." Korrine pointed to the dormant plasma caster on Alha'uxi's shoulder, "Beside the electric net, I think that's what knocked her out after I left."

Alha'uxi glanced to his comrades before turning back to Korrine, "_This is... troubling. We will take your word and find him._" He bowed slightly, "_We will return with Dy'anna._" Korring smiled, "Thank you."

The trio came back to the door, the armed humans were now ready to scout the area, checking for them. As soon as the barrel of their guns appeared, Alha'uxi tossed his disc, slicing through the gun metal causing sparks to fly as his disc returned to his hand. "_Remember the plan._" Alha'uxi watched as the humans retreated into the room, "_Small Stone, you are the fastest, find the ooman with the stolen weaponry._"

Ky'gon jumped into the fray first, all guns turned to him and Alha'uxi charged the opposite side of the room half were forced to target him. Small Stone passed by the cot Diana was laid on and straight to the back, over the stone slab and his dagger met the chest of an armed human. Alha'uxi had his side nearly cleared out before Ky'gon and Small Stone were half way.

Astonishingly, the humans were resiliant, some offering counter attacks and actually gaining ground on the trio. Few did and were silenced quickly after it, the sheer survival instinct was driving the humans into massive power and whatever training they had received was not far off from a yautja's own judging by the melee combat styles and strengths. Yet, none of it was perfect, the trio had well over sixty years training and experience. The men fell quickly.

The last were left in a corner, five aiming guns at the three who were now closing in. "What do we do?" One cried to their leader, "Hold on." He messed something in his uniform before dragging out a large gun. The stolen technology.

Alha'uxi didn't even blink, the gun was aimed at Small Stone but all three dodged. The blast was tremendous, it left only a steaming crater where Small Stone once was.

"Say your goodbyes." The man aimed at the three now all keeping their distance from the human. Alha'uxi contemplated using his disc, how long it would take and it's accuracy against a human with his finger on the trigger of a gun more powerful then any weapon in the room. The odds were not pleasing.

"_We must leave the room, see if we cannot find a way around this matter._" Alha'uxi looked to Ky'gon, Small Stone took the idea and went barreling out of the room, directly to the spot where they had planned assaulting the room only moments ago. "_Go Ky'gon, I will follow._" Ky'gon nodded, quickly jumping from one spot to the next, listening as the stunning blue power blast from the gun blew a hole in his footsteps.

Ky'gon was panting, "_That is not simply stolen technology._" Small Stone pulled him aside nodding. "_Alha'uxi must be fast, one wrong step and that ooman will kill him_." Small Stone watched as Alha'uxi stepped side to side, the gun was ready but the human was hesitant about Alha'uxi dodging before the blast reaches him. It would shatter the ground and the wall, but Alha'uxi would have a chance to escape. "_You can do it..._" Ky'gon narrowed his eyes.

Alha'uxi had no choice, either run and hope he's not killed or stay there until such time as the others come up with a plan.

Clearly, the human was getting impatient, so he begain to approach Alha'uxi who cautiously backed away more and more. Then there it was, the human smiled, Alha'uxi was thrown into high alert asking what made this human happy all of a sudden?

"Alright, either you surrender and we take you into custody." The human bartered, the gun was no longer aiming at him... It was targeting Diana who lay unconscious behind him. "Or she dies. See, my boss would love me, maybe even get a promotion and a paid vacation. We, as a private army, don't get many of those anymore." He grinned, the other humans visibly relaxing as they came closer, aiming their own guns at Alha'uxi and Diana. "I figured you were in here 'cause her. Oh, and I know you understand me, don't act like you can't. I've taken down bigger predator's then you and they even answered me, well, not answered, more like cursed my name."

"_How fast can you aim your disc?_" Ky'gon asked Small Stone who blinked in return, "_If you are implying I use it to either disarm or kill the ooman threatening Dy'anna, then I am afraid you will be disappointed. In the time it takes to pull a trigger and hit it's target at point blank range compared to the time it would take to stand, aim, and throw a disc should not even be considered an option._"

Ky'gon sighed, "_What choice do we have? We can die here, go with the humans, or let him kill Dy'anna. I will not stand to be captured and tested but Dy'anna's death is not possible. We must fight, the ooman dies or we do._" Small Stone almost glared back to Ky'gon, "_We must try._"

Small Stone took out his disc, "_It is the most honourable way. Die for a cause to save another._" He held onto his disc tightly, "_Be prepared Ky'gon and pray to Paya that this works._"

Alha'uxi kept as still as stone, he had no freedom in this situation. For the first time in his life and probably his entire family tree time on Earth hunting, a human held a warriors fate and that of his hunting brothers. This was not a preferred position, but Alha'uxi would make due. He was never one for surrendering.

The only fast enough choice was to shoot the ooman with pure yautja technology, his plasma caster was the quickest weapon he had on him. The arm time was only a second and the firing rate was impressive being that he is an honoured warrior.

Saying his last prayer's, Alha'uxi was arming his caster. Life or death, surrendering could never be part of any yautja's life.

The human smiled, the gun's side symbols lit red and blue, both signalling the owner of it's condition, unfortunately, not one of the trio understood it's pattern.

In a split second, the human was thrilled, he was triumphant in his own mind and the next... He went cold, the gun was _gone_.

The trio had not noticed, no one had, as the fourth yautja in the room took aim and fired the heavy weapon, knocking her back a little ways as the rest of the humans in the room began to panic.

Small Stone reacted first, throwing his disc into the crowd of four humans as one fell, Alha'uxi took another down and Ky'gon lept from his defencive wall to throw his combi stick perfectly into the chest of another human, impailing him into the wall and the last was met again by Small Stone's disc before the entire room was empty.

The trio had their moment of turning to each other in satisfaction. Small Stone had taken to Diana first, holding the mutated yautja technology in his own hands as he examined it closer.

Diana had propped herself onto her elbow to reach the gun aimed at her head and fire, her skin was seared in different places, thin black marks of cross netting marred her thick hide on her shoulders, forehead, outside of her legs and arms, her stomach and finally her clothes. Black smoke came from her body as the trio tended to her.

"_Dy'anna,_" Alha'uxi smiled, "_I am pleased to see you have awakened._" Diana smiled weakly, "I'm happy I'm alive too." She laughed, her voice and body crackled under the burnt off electric traces.

Ky'gon made hismelf known by overlooking Diana's blackened skin, "_We must hurry, the burns may not be fatal, but they will be infected if we do not remove her from the Temple into a safer place._" Diana bent up to see Ky'gon scanning her legs, "Like the view?" Ky'gon blinked, staring at her, "Nice to see you to." She mumbled before Alha'uxi nodded to Small Stone and Ky'gon.

"_Can you stand?_" Diana took a deep breath, trying to lift herself up with anything but the palms of her hands. She swung her legs over the side, drapping them carefully so as to not agitate the burns anymore then they already were. "Give me a second." Diana took a few fast breaths before hopping onto the floor.

All her square burns lit up again, she sucked in a painful lungful of air as the trio offered their hands to help her forward, she merely shook her head, "I can walk, but that stupid net makes me feel every second of it."

Ky'gon came to her aid and with her smaller size, Ky'gon wrapped her arm around his neck as Alha'uxi took her other arm around his. "Careful, careful, careful... That burns." Diana hissed, her hands lifted up so her palms and around her hands could feel cool air blowing on them.

Small Stone took another look, "_Your hands, the burns are severe._" He pointed out, catching both the males attention as they walked Diana out. "_What happened to them?_" He asked, taking a deeper look into the burning indentions. "I, uh, grabbed the net. I tried to get it off but... It didn't work so well... So now my hands are crispy."

"Diana!" Korrine cried as the trio came around the corner with Diana in tow, "Oh my God, are you okay?" Korrine began her own motherly study of the netting burns across Diana, "I'll be fine, just a well cooked."

* * *

_**GrimlockX4:** It's cool, just remember two (Alha'uxi and Small Stone) aren't mine, so says the disclaimer!  
Hmm... I just wanted to toss that in there._

_**Blood Shifter2:** Well, eventually maybe. I hope to be a bit twisty with my story and throw the characters into a full throtle plot twist..._

_**Malakia:** I RETURN!  
Yeah... I know, go ahead, send me to my room. D':  
It's fine, I just want to know if a word(s) are so blatanly misspelled/typo'd that it ruins the whole imagination while reading this. We got a new computer (YES!) I should be fine, but I'll also be getting one upstairs so I'll be able to write more often and publish quicker with less problems. At the same time, I'll be paying for XBOX LIVE so I'll be playing Halo 3 and other games like mad since I've never had LIVE before._

_**Kurounue13**: Here's more! :D Diana's finally getting braver and, well, Alha'uxi is the awesomesause. But he's not the romance in Stunning Encounters! OH NOES!_


	22. NOTICE

_**Ladies and Gentlemen!**_

_I am gone! G-O-N-E._

_I was just going to be away on Saturday, (for those outside the US(eastern time) tomorrow) but instead I am, once more, leaving to my brother and his wife's home for the entire weekend._

_At five-thirty (5:30 PM) today I will be out of the house. That is in three hours and fifteen minutes. (3:15)_

_So, unfortunately, that means no updates over the weekend._

_I will probably be heading to the Library over the weekend, maybe tomorrow(Saturday) but the internet is PG-13 protected. Nothing M/R rated allowed. So Fanfiction is unavalible to me._

_However, I will make it up since this is the fourth week in a row that I am leaving the house on the weekend where I get most of my writing done._

_I will begin an ultimate update date. I think I'll make it every Wednesday afternoon(maybe morning) I will update ALL of my stories with a fresh chapter.  
While I am gone, I will be writing on my notepad so I won't loose time, I will also be studying my free time more so I can update quicker so once a week for all stories will turn to twice and possibly even three times!_

_Only restrictions to this is:_

_1. I work a lot._

_2. My schedule is erratic since I am homeschooled and my family and I believe wholeheartedly in hard, physical, work._

_3. I leave a lot, sometimes I am unaware of these times. (For ex. Today, I was not aware until an hour ago)_

_4. I may be grounded at times which will put a damper on my update timing._

_5. Severe writer's block. Sometimes I cannot come up with the right words and it becomes choppy, so I refuse to publish what I write during those times. I'm sure that if I didn't keep to this rule then you would begin to hate my stories._

_That's it! PEACE OUT PEOPLE!_

_Have a good weekend! :)_


	23. Decisions

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

_AN: Okay. The spell check temper tantrum isn't over, so once more, if you see any typos/misspelled words, please point them out so I can correct them. Thanks._

**Important Note:**

_I will be leaving on Monday, May 17th for Baltimore. My Dad require's surgery and there is only one doctor in the entire U.S qualified to do it.  
Our return date is Saturday 22nd or Sunday 23rd, not to sure yet.  
Unfortunately, the following THREE MONTHS will be spent taking care of my Dad, extensively. I will not be able to post frequently and when I do they may come out... choppy? Possibly, I'm sure I'll be very tired by the end of the day and even after those three months._

_If I do NOT post anything, a notice, a chapter, an update of any sort. I apologize. I would very much like to keep you reading and happy.  
Thanks! :)_

* * *

"I wish we knew how she was doing.._._" Ky'gon listened to Korrine as they both waited in the dimly lit hallway, "I hate being kept in the dark..."

Ky'gon looked around, "_Our ship's lighting was not built for ooman eyes, it suffices for us, but I can increase the light._" He turned to a switch on the wall, "Oh no, that's not what I meant. I just... don't like not knowing how Diana's doing." Ky'gon nodded, "_We will know soon enough._"

Korrine smiled, tapping her fingers on her knees impatiently. The halls hummed from the ships engine, it gave a warm sensation but the metal walls and unseen floor was somewhat forboding. "Why aren't you in there?" Ky'gon blinked, "_In with Alha'uxi and Small Stone? I am not experienced enough, I am merely a blooded hunter and Dy'anna's burns require more medical training then I have. Alha'uxi is the highest ranking with us and Small Stone has far more self taught skill's then I._" Ky'gon grumbled, "_I am not completely trained yet, I have years of hunting ahead before I am allowed a presigist rank such as Alha'uxi or my elder brothers._" Ky'gon took himself a seat on the same storage crate Korrine pulled herself on.

Ky'gon and Korrine remained silent, it was awkward to enjoy a conversation while someone was in pain. Korrine felt it wrong to strike up a few lessons on yautja culture when Diana would like to know it herself and Ky'gon thought only that he should be with Alha'uxi and Small Stone, mending Diana's wounds.

Korrine thought long and hard about their future, Diana and Korrine were now wanted by a secret organization that has more power then either of them ever predicted. Unfortunately, it seemed, that returning home to Newcastle was not a possibility, Korrine had to come up with something else, something that was secure, where the government funded corporations interested in capturing Diana would never find her, not even a rumor could be spread.

Locally was not an option, they already knew Diana was there so if they stayed it would only become worse. Traveling, constantly, appeared the only way, there was no other place where they could root themselves and still be safe. Korrine despretally did not want to take Diana from the only home she had ever known, telling her that they could never go back would be hard enough without mentioning the moving required to stay safe.

Ky'gon could see Korrine becoming tenser, her thoughts were playing out in her expressions. Figuring it best to help the older woman, Ky'gon rested a hand on Korrine's arm, alerting her to him once more since she had disappeared into her thoughts. Such an outgoing gesture was rare amungst the trio and she found it heartwarming.

"_Koorene._" Ky'gon tried another fruitless attempt at pronouncing her name, "_What bothers you so?_"

Korrine sighed, dropping her hands to her sides. "It's just... We've been in England so long, adjusting to life there that... I don't know... I don't think Diana can live out here." Ky'gon tilted his headin question, "_Why not return home?_"

Taking a sidelong glance to the med bay doors, Korrine continued, "They know where we live, where we are. We can't stay here or go home, they'll track us down and next time we won't be so lucky with you three around to save us. I understand going to the northern continents is dangerous for your kind now because most humans live up there, but so do we and now that _they_ know this we can't go home. They'll just hunt us down again and we won't have protection." Korrine paced calmly, explaining with little visible concern, as a mother would their child.

"_If you cannot return and cannot stay, where will you go?_" Korrine nodded, "I thought about that... I traveled before, I was a career girl years ago so I know how to get around on little to nothing, but I'm not worried about myself, I'm worried about Diana. She'll have to let go of everything we had, anyone she knew, family and friends. We'll be stranded by ourselves but I know I can keep a roof over our heads and food in our kitchen... I simply wish this wouldn't be so hard on Diana..."

A _hiss_ interrupted Korrine and Ky'gon's talk, both snapped to the med bay doors. The procedure didn't take long as estimated by Alha'uxi. The doors to the infirmary slid open and Small Stone appeared first.

_"How is she_?" Ky'gon jumped from his seat, _"Her burns were not injurous, simply painful. Alha'uxi and I have decided it best for her not to use her hands for some time though, due to the burns severity_." Small Stone threw a rag onto the storage crate, _"Scarring will be present_."

Korrine sighed, "Can I see her?" Alha'uxi nodded, "_If you wish, but do not agitate the burns._"

Passing the trio, Korrine walked through the sliding door, into the considerably brighter infirmary where Diana laid tiredly on the middle cot. She was wrapped is bandages around parts that had touched the electrical net the most. To Korrine's eyes Diana looked distressed, any movement agrivated the burns and caused hot pains, so it made sense.

"Diana?" Korrine asked for as she turned her head, "Hey mum." She smiled, "How do you feel?" Diana giggled looking down to the crosshatching burned, "Hot." Korrine only shook her head, taking a tall seat made for a yautja's height.

"This is pretty cool." Diana looked around the room, examining the alien medical equipment. "I mean, look at this place!" Diana shook her hands, inwardly reminding herself not to move. "It is... impressive." Korrine laughed at Diana's attempt to emphasize her meaning.

Korrine sighed, watching as Diana took in the room. Eventually, she'd become bored of just one room yet through all of Korrine's ideas, there was no way around it for a little while. After that though, the trio will have to leave, inform their people about what events happened on their _hunt_. Korrine shivered at the thought.

Exactly how was she going to tell Diana about her plans?

Right now, the three gave the mother and daughter privacy, offering little more then the occasional step just outside the door, or louder talking, usually when trying to calm Ky'gon's naturally hyperactive conversations. Korrine was thankful none of them were there.

While Korrine imagined it be best to tell Diana later about their new home, or lack there of, but with her laying down for a time, Diana would have the chance to think it through after she loses herself to greif. Korrine knew she had to tell her, here and now, then leave Diana to join the trio outside to give Diana enough downtime to contemplate why Korrine did so decide on this new life.

"Diana love, we need to talk." Diana laughed, remembering that just about ever muscle ached, "Oh no, it's _The Talk._" She giggled.

"This is serious, I've had time to think about this and... I truly believe this is for the better." Diana stopped smiling, staring dead straight at Korrine. "We can't go back home."

Diana blinked, not saying a word as a silence swept over them. Only the faint beeping of the medical equipment and tools could be heard and the trio outside still talking about their own concerns. Diana finally nodded, "I figured as much." She looked to the opposite side before returning to Korrine, "I understand that... but where do we go?"

"I don't know precisely." Korrine smiled lightly, she was glad Diana took the news well. "I was an archeologist's assitant once, I know my way around and I'm sure I can get us a hotel room for the night without alerting anyone, then I can get a job, eventually we can get cash, enough to travel a good distance. So far, our best bet is America, up through South America, through Panama and Mexico, it'll be some work, but if we get to the US, we can make a decent living, in the country side and getting a new identity isn't too difficult in the Texas, Mexico border." Korrine closed her eyes, rubbing her temples as she did often when stressed, "I'm sorry we have to do this, Tilly."

Diana smiled warmly, taking hold of Korrine's hand, "It's okay, it's not your fault... It's their fault, those bloody bastards that forced this on us." She growled before calming and comforting Korrine again.

"I need you to rest now Tilly, get some sleep. When you're able to walk again without hurting we'll leave those three alone, so that they can go home, alright?" Korrine stood, still holding Diana's hand, "Alright mum." Korrine kissed Diana's hand before turning and leaving the medical ward, coming face to face with the trio waiting.

After the door closed, Alha'uxi approached accompanied by Ky'gon as Small Stone traveled off, no doubt to clean up the small wounds he had received from the day's battle.

"_How did she react?_" Alha'uxi crossed his arms, "Fine... Though I know she's sad and you'll want to leave her alone for a bit. I know Diana well, she'll be very upset and no doubt crying over loosing our family."

Korrine looked downward, crossing her fingers as she looked back to the tall male in front of her, "I can never repay you for what you've done for us, I, and Diana, are in your debt, all of your's." She smiled tiredly as she yawned, "I hate to ask after all of this, but I'm very tired, is there by any chance a spare room, or at least a couch I may sleep on?"

Alha'uxi nodded, "_Ky'gon, take Korrine to my quarters._" Korrine's eyes went wide, "Oh no, just a chair perhaps, nothing extrav-" Alha'uxi held a hand to Korrine, "_I must insist. I will not be needing them for some time and you ooman's become exhausted very quickly after a day like today. You need your rest, I will be elsewhere, I will not disturb you._" Smiling thankfully, Korrine was led away with Ky'gon.

Just as fast as he disappeared, Small Stone walked to Alha'uxi, "_You are thinking very deeply of something, I could tell during our talk while Koorene and Dy'anna spoke alone._" He crossed his arms, watching Korrine vanish into Alha'uxi's chambers, "_Merely of their future on Earth._" Small Stone glanced to his accomplise, "_On Earth?_" He questioned as Alha'uxi replied with a nod, "_It will be far to dangerous for them to continue a life like they wish here on the ooman's planet, I do believe that this will inevitably lead to Koorene's death and Dy'anna's capture from those ooman bad bloods."_

Small Stone watched as Ky'gon came back, "_She sleeps, what now?_" He asked, reading his friend's expressions.

Momentarily interrupted, the two continued on, _"You are thinking of taking them with us, are you not?"_ Small Stone turned to face him, "_It is the only way to protect them, properly. As only a warrior would do, we should consider if nothing else, bringing them with us. Dy'anna deserves to be with her people._"

"_What of Koorene, her self-proclaimed ooman mother? Other's will not take so kindly to their situation, they will not see what we have learned to understand._" Alha'uxi held Small Stone's shoulder tightly, "_That is what concerns me._"

Ky'gon narrowed his eyes, "_You cannot be seriously contemplating leaving Koorene behind._" He jumped between the two, "_Dy'anna would have none of it._"

Alha'uxi looked back to his bedchamber's, putting his mind set on Korrine, "_Dy'anna would not. Maybe Koorene's outlook will be more... open minded. She had said she knows this land, she has traveled and can find a new home to live in and no risk for Dy'anna's safety will make it easier on her and we can give Dy'anna back to her true homeworld._"

"_Shall we talk to Dy'anna first or Koorene?_" Alha'uxi tapped his mandible as Small Stone jutted back in, "_Koorene. She has matured where Dy'anna has not, we will have a better chance at taking Dy'anna with us._"

Ky'gon's eyes shot from the med bay doors to Alha'uxi's bedchambers repeatedly, thinking of the hardship to follow. Diana would not take kindly and sure enough, neither would Korrine, in Ky'gon's mind, what his hunt brother's were currently holding as an option was none at all to him.

"_There is only one flaw._" Small Stone brought the two's wandering minds to him, "_We are not all part of the same clan._"

Taking a deep breath Ky'gon feared the worst from what Small Stone was now counting into the ring, "_Our Elder's may be blood related, yet we are still of different clans. Who should Dy'anna return with?_"

The trio looked between themselves while each voted for one or another. "_Dy'anna would fair easier with me._" Alha'uxi stood tall, "_I am an honoured warrior and I have enough time to train Dy'anna._"

Small Stone nodded, "_Maybe true, however, Dy'anna needs to learn like the rest of us. I may not have your rank Alha'uxi, but I am known through my clan._"

The duo, after voicing their opinions, turned to Ky'gon. "_I am the Elder's only recognized son. I have no glory to my name, yet, but between my father and my climbing the ranks, Dy'anna will be safe, gain privledges only an Elder's pup can, and can earn a place in my clan all the same as I strive for now._"

Alha'uxi, surprised by Ky'gon's sudden confidence, and truth to his word, agreed. "_With Dy'anna in the confine's of an Elder's presense and, as you mentioned, earning a place like all pup's must, Ky'gon's clan will guarentee Dy'anna's health._" Small Stone took a moment to fully process the pro's and con's before nodding, "_True. I do not trust her with Ky'gon-_" Ky'gon glared, "_Though with his father the Elder of his clan, I have no doubt in my mind Dy'anna will be giving a fair chance to learn and train._"

"_Any subject we have missed?_" The trio all took into account weaponry, living conditions, food, training, and position in a clan before each agreed.

With Korrine's consent, Diana would return to their world with them and leave behind a challenging world wrought with peril as the ooman's hunt mercilessly for Diana and Korrine. One last problem slipped their mind was Diana understood the yautjan language and heard every click and growl.

Diana's fate would be decided for her unless she could hold herself upright and fight for her heart's desire.

* * *

**_Malakia:_**_ Oh thanks, I know with my rushing and my knack to typo words would destroy this story if it did count.  
Ooo, you can voice a thought, nothing says you can't. It only matters if I tell you. ;)_

_**GrimlockX4:** YAY! BATTLE'S ARE A PUNK TO WRITE! Since, y'know, you can't type "He kicked that dude in the chest and he flew LIKE A FRIKKIN' EAGLE!"  
Wonder no more, it's time to get Korrine and Diana's life back on track with the trio._

_**Blood Shifter2:** Well, Diana did scorch her hands beyond all reason, I'd say that was bad... You didn't think I was gonna' kill someone again, did you? x)  
I would love to torture them to, but the trio have enough work on their hands with Diana and Korrine, I have to give them a break sometime. They're pissed at me enough as it is anyways... ;;^.^_


	24. Rejected

_**Disclaimer: **AVP belongs to whomever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

_**Character Disclaimer:**  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - I__nfernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

_AN: Okay. The spell check temper tantrum isn't over, so once more, if you see any typos/misspelled words, please point them out so I can correct them. Thanks.  
And well, you all already know I'm off to Washington this coming Monday, so that's that!_

* * *

Korrine opened her eyes. With a yawn, Korrine sat up in the surprisingly comfortable bed.

Remembering yesterday was not a problem; she didn't even have to bring it to mind for it to reappear like an old wound. She had a hard time falling asleep over it so it was only natural that those thoughts woke her up.

Also, Korrine had noted the large step it took for her to get onto Alha'uxi's bed... but had not reminded herself. Korrine jumped to the floor, miscalculating the height of the bed, yet again, she fell straight onto her hands and knees.

Groaning, she pushed herself upright, hand cracking her back. "I'm too old for this..." She half laughed at the remark.

Korrine ran her fingers through her hair, substituting for a comb and pulled it back into a loose ponytail. She rubbed her face roughly, causing blood to rush back and color her pale, sleepy look.

Walking to the door, hitting the panel to unlock the door, it slid open to reveal a very contemplative Alha'uxi with his arms crossed. "_Koorene._" Korrine jumped, she had not realized he was there. Resting a hand over her heart, she panted. "By God, you startled me." She smiled. "Good morning."

Alha'uxi nodded, letting his arms fall to his sides. "_Good morning, Koorene. I did not mean to scare you._" Yes, Korrine already knew Alha'uxi was the oldest and had the most manners, but this was odd, "_We need to talk._" Shaking her head, Korrine gave a tired grin, "Again? I do believe we did this yesterday."

"_It is urgent._" Alha'uxi let out an exasperated sigh on his own, "_It is about Dy'anna's future on Earth._" Korrine blinked, "_On_ Earth?" Alha'uxi simply turned and gestured her to follow him and she did.

Still half asleep, her mind not completely working, Korrine ran through the idea of Diana's life _on_ Earth. Just why did he pose it that way? Was this just their formal speech once again messing with Korrine's usual casual understanding? Whatever the reason for this odd intrusion on her morning grouchy cup of tea, or any substance like tea the Three Stooges had.

"_Here._" Alha'uxi stood aside the door as it slid open to the other two; both now donned in what a yautja could possibly call relax wear.

Korrine entered, Alha'uxi directly behind the cautious woman. She took a tall seat, between Small Stone and Alha'uxi. Ky'gon was beside Small Stone, resting his forearms on the metal table that Korrine was barely tall enough to put her hands on.

"What's this all about?" She asked lowly, afraid of the answer.

"_We have been debating on Dy'anna's future._" Korrine nodded, "I figured that when you mentioned it." Ky'gon looked nervous to Korrine, so she continued on burring into him to find out why.

"_We do not believe she will be safe on Earth._" She took a deep breath, "And?" Small Stone nodded reassurance to the elder hunter, "_It has appealed to us to ask your permission as guardian to take Dy'anna with us, return her to our home world, that way she can learn all she needs in the safety of her people._"

Korrine stared ahead; those electronically translated words rang in her head like the loud techno music Diana blasted in her room. "Just her?" Korrine begged, Alha'uxi felt the ache of guilt for even offering such a thing, but he and the others felt it best and it was his responsibility as the eldest and highest in rank aboard the vessel to make this deal.

"_Only Dy'anna._" He answered; his hands clasped tightly, his own talons digging into his thick skin. He hated the thought of the pain it would bring a mother to loose her only pup, there was not a single clan who could escape the burning rage and sadness when one of their females lost their pup in such an odd fashion.

She made her decision quickly; there was no question about it. Korrine had lost her husband already and she wasn't about to leave her daughter behind.

"No."

The trio shared understanding looks, each one believing this was simply denial. "_Koorene, if you take time to think-_" "No! I'm not thinking about this and I never will." Korrine shot from her chair, completely sober from her previous sleepy haze. "There is nothing in this universe that will separate me from my daughter, my _only_ daughter." Korrine growled. The Stooges caught off guard by her blunt rejection.

"_She would be safer, a chance to live a normal yautjan life. I do not think you see the severity of the circumstances._" Small Stone reiterated to Korrine, only serving to anger her further.

"Not without me." Korrine insisted. Yet she stood tall and strong, not even a moment of weakness. She was not going to move. Ky'gon was glad.

Alha'uxi turned his chair to face the irate foster mother, "_Dy'anna needs a life where all around her will be open to her, not closed off. She cannot hide forever and neither can you._"

"Then take me with you." Korrine glared, Alha'uxi even felt himself shift under her gaze. Small Stone and Ky'gon remained where they were, this was the eldest's job, only would it become there's if Alha'uxi called them in... And he had just done, throwing a glance their way and pointing back to Korrine.

Small Stone worked up the right words; he was quick to speak merely because he knew what to say. "_There is no plausible way for us to take you with us; however, there is also no purpose in leaving Dy'anna in a world unwelcoming to her and our kind._"

Korrine couldn't disagree with that. It was flawless logic, simple and short, but was straight forward and daunting. Korrine felt a rush of fear, she was not afraid of being alone and without Harvey that's exactly what would happen; it was the thought that Diana would be in a new world unknown to her, discovering her own race. What if she was scared? Korrine wouldn't be there to comfort her into sleep. Diana already expressed certain distain to her race's ritual's and routines, if she went, Korrine could not tell her to open her mind and heart to see their world.

What if Diana didn't like their world?

"Tell me this." Alha'uxi nodded, interested in the woman's new heat signature and change of heart. "What happens when Diana decides that she doesn't like your world and doesn't desire to be a part of it anymore? If she wants to leave, come home, would you take her back here and let her alone?"

Ky'gon stared. Was Korrine actually thinking about letting Diana go? "_Koorene, don't-_" Small Stone tapped the table; any movement of the impressive warrior was enough to interrupt Ky'gon.

"What?" Korrine replied to him, ignoring Small Stone and Alha'uxi's obvious disagreement with the quiet male. "What were you going to say?"

All of them looked to Ky'gon, only Alha'uxi had a persistent expression, showing his distaste if Ky'gon were to voice his feelings on the matter as he did earlier with the trio. Small Stone showed nothing, but Ky'gon knew from experience that the battle-trained hunter was accusing him.

Korrine was the only face that he found comfort in. Her heartfelt eyes when talking about her daughter were what bothered him the most. Painful though it was to see Korrine in this position, Ky'gon knew what dishonor the two hunt brother's he traveled with would do to him if he told Korrine to not listen to his two closest allies.

Ky'gon truly felt that his allies would not attack him if he, for one moment in his life, told someone what he felt. As they say, a true warrior listens to his heart, not his Elders.

"_You should not let Dy'anna go without you._"

Korrine was shocked by his words. Alha'uxi and Small Stone were just talking about leaving with Diana, she thought they all agreed. Apparently, that was wrong. Ky'gon spoke his heart, against his far more knowledgeable friends. Korrine figured what he said, how he said it, must have been honest.

It made no sense otherwise.

Korrine opened her mouth, taking a deep breath. "Let Diana decide."

While the duo in on having Diana go with them without Korrine were somewhat pleased by Korrine's compromising, they thoroughly doubted that anyone with as little maturity as a pup at her age could get, would agree to leave her mother for a world of unknown.

Ky'gon smiled in relief as Korrine silently thanked him, now, Diana would choose her fate.

"_Then let us go to her, explain to her our offer, then she shall decide._" Alha'uxi rose from his seat as did the others, Korrine though, was leading the group to the med bay where Diana rest wrapped and plugged into various life measuring machines.

No one wanted to open that door and bother Diana, though it had been hours, chances were that she was asleep and if she wasn't, bringing up a matter of life. After all the broken family had been through, no one wanted to disrupt it further.

"I'll check if she's awake." Korrine stopped them, opening the sliding door until she disappeared behind it.

The machines just made Korrine's heart ache, seeing her only child injured and need of experienced attention was a pain no parent should have to face. Diana was awake and watching as Korrine turned around, opening the door once more to let the trio enter.

"Hey guys." Diana smiled, moving only a bare minimum. "What's up?"

The four took their places aside Diana's cot, each one remaining stoic, except Korrine, who took the chair next to Diana like she had done the day prior.

"Tilly, love, they want to take you with them." Korrine stated, not bothering to soften the blow, it would be difficult already. Diana's eyes went wide, "Really? That'd be so cool." She smiled, her upper mandibles pulling until the muscles hurt, "Are we leaving now?"

Korrine grinned at her daughter's usual anxiousness; she had always rushed into things... Going to Catalonia and into the Temple was no exception. "No, not now." Korrine's chest ached; she didn't want to have to speak any more, "They can take you, but not me. If they leave with you, I'll stay here."

Diana huffed, "Well I guess I'm not going then." Blunt as normal.

"_Dy'anna, I urge you to give this more consideration. Deciding on a whim is not wise, you must put thought into this option, and it is a life changing decision._" Alha'uxi encouraged Diana to no prevail.

Shaking her head nonchalantly, Diana shrugged. "Yeah, life changing for the worst." She rolled her eyes, "I mean, I just lost my dad, I sure as hell am not going to loose my mum too." The trio could respect that, but they weren't about to give up.

Ky'gon stepped forward, "_I realize that, as for my hunt brothers, they may not._" The two males glared his way, "_That is not a fault, merely confusion._" He held his hands up in defense, "_It is very... unusual for a yautja to claim their parents as oomans. It has never happened before and therefore may cause somewhat of a misunderstanding. If we like it or not, we will react according to our clan's law on ooman contact, no matter which way we may try to perceive it, we will always simply see you, Koorene, as an ooman and Dy'anna as yautjan, that results in a confusion of regulation, Elder law, nothing more._"

Reluctantly, Alha'uxi nodded, "_That thought had crossed my mind_." Small Stone replied in kind, simply stating his own knowledge of the fact, "_My sentiments exactly, Ky'gon. However, this does not change the earnestness of our offer._" Alha'uxi also was forced to agree with this.

"Yautjan law or not, I won't go without my mum." Diana happily declined, "_I was not trying to convince you otherwise, and I agree fully with your choice to stay with your ooman mother, if I was in your position, I would do the same. No matter how odd it sounds to me about having ooman's for relatives._"

Korrine rested a hand on the edge of the cot, cautious of touching Diana's scorched skin. "Whenever you're ready, Tilly, we'll leave them to their return home." Korrine had a motherly smile, something that spoke to anyone on looking that this mother was proud and very thankful to her daughter. Such an emotion not commonly shown and even harder to earn.

"I'm sure I'll be up and at it in a few." Small Stone clearly refused this answer, "_No, you will not. Your burns still can become infected, healing takes twice as long when the body's cells have been burned away. You will need to rest for another day, do not rush yourself._" Ky'gon momentarily forgot Small Stone's self-taught medical training.

Although Alha'uxi was disheartened by this denial, both of his younger hunt brothers were correct. Ky'gon was right that the rejection of ooman life intertwined with yautjan life was only induced and forced upon by ancient generations, ones that saw the primitive history of mankind and in turn that created a barrier between the two races, both more alike then they knew. Small Stone was correct about the merit of their offer, if Diana had accepted, there would have surely been a much longer future ahead of her, unlike her life on Earth with ooman's hunting her.

Her decline was a disappointment; Alha'uxi knew truly that there was no chance Diana would say yes to leaving her family, as previously stated by all, to venture to a world unknown.

That mentioned, he and his hunt brothers never took into debate about how would the other yautjan members of Ky'gon's clan would react to this odd installation, a yautjan with no history, no family, no clan. Many would rumor her history as hidden through dishonor, possibly bad blood seeking repentance.

The cruelty and damage ensued would out weigh the aid Diana would gain from being around her own kind and learning her culture.

Maybe it was best Diana stay with Korrine, to live a life without judgment and undetermined. All yautja ache for a life of freedom from their clan and relatives, so perhaps this form of freedom was how Diana should live.

* * *

_**GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK:**__ Yeah, as the story goes, I'll let the readers into the Stooges rank and position, even some ranks inbetween. For now, I'll just stick to drama. :)  
Oh LOL, 20/10. I feel awesomesause. ;D_

_**GrimlockX4:** YOU'VE BEEN LAZY? Holy shit, what does that make me? Guilty of gluttony? D:  
Awesome, ^^ Good luck!  
Ah yes, thanks! I'm so nervous, I haven't been out of Georgia for years! I went to Washington D.C. when I was two so I have no memory... It feels so good to get a vacation again, haven't been able to get out for the longest time. -.-_

_**Blood Shifter2:** Diana replied gently, she also under the influence of pain numbing drugs, so I'm sure when she snaps back into reality that it'll all be more of a blood sport then what it is now. 8D  
I do think Diana would find the might of THOR and TARE DOWN THE SHIP PIECE BY PIECE UNTIL THE STOOGES RUN SCREAMING FOR THEIR LIVES. That accurate enough? x)_

_**Malakia:** OH DON'T WORRY, THE SCHOOL GIRL-ISH-NESS COMES LATER. :D  
Alha'uxi and Small Stone, as I would imagine, get together like two peas in a pod, however, insert immature, hyper-overdosed Diana with a twang of an Elder's son stuck on his high horse; Ky'gon and you'll get a blood bath. MUAHAHAHAHAHA!  
Yeah... I probably did. -.- Ah well, I hope you like them together as time goes.  
I'll never separate Korrine and Diana, those gal's are the greatest. :) Of course, I may STILL be lying! Ooooo!_

_**WolvesKey:** Hmmm... I think I hate your logic... Only because... IT'S RIGHT. -sniffles- That sucks huh? First Harvey, then Korrine? Harvey, then Diana? I'm sure if I was Korrine I wouldn't try to live without the loves of my life, my purposes for living. It would be difficult and knowing Diana's still alive but you'll never see her again? That would be unbarable.  
Anyways, there's a LOT LEFT, so you'll have plenty. Ah yes, and if you haven't read it already, I will not, will never, in my life, give up on a story. No matter how horrible it is, I will always try to complete it... Then fix it. :) It takes time, writer's block has been a pain, but I'm up again and I'm about to toss this story into it's main body of plot-hood. .o.  
Thanks! I'm excited about Washington, I haven't been out of state for years! Well, mostly because we have the great and wonderful Savannah and Tybee Island near us... And other islands of course._


	25. Conditions

__

__

**_Disclaimer: _**_AVP belongs to whoever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

**_Character Disclaimer:_**_  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - Infernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

_AN: I do believe I've disappeared for a short time. Uh oh!_

_Well, here's the gist:_

_Went to Washington D.C., enjoyed it, very nice, cool weather, favorite place was the Library of Congress.  
Went there for surgery, has been going so far but turns out my Dad had an allergic reaction to the very tools used to close up said surgical scar. Had to be with him 24/7, fine now though.  
Evidently, I forgot to mention that the week after returning was the weekend of my one and only sister's baby shower for her to-be motherhood of a boy named Jackson. (YAY! I'M AN AUNT! Er, will be in the next month or so)  
After this INSANELY TIRING two weeks, I spent Sunday resting and the rest of the week was me and my youngest but still older then me brother to pack. We were heading to my eldest brother's and his wife's house to babysit the cats and keep up the garden. Came home Thursday morning. Unfortunately I'm having reoccurring insomnia, my head was bleeding unexplainably, I've been dizzy, tired, yet working to take care of Dad and the house while Mom's gone to work.  
Finally, I have a cold that came from my Mom and originated with my Mom's co-worker. Yippee, right?  
So now, I've finally gotten over most of this and figure I better make a reappearance and fast.  
Guess what else? I know right?  
I have lockjaw.  
OH MAI GAWD. My jaw hurts. My ears are pounding; I can feel the veins in my jaw pumping blood every now and then. Fan-fucking-tastic._

_Here I am, sick, tired, insomniac, lockjaw, and light case of psycho-psychosis (or something of the sort) afflicted person whose only joy right now is owning Mass Effect 2 and beating it's sorry ass multiple times. I love Mass Effect and I absolutely love Garrus and the Krogan. Those are the most awesome people ever. Play it. You won't be sorry. Bioware is still amazing._

_

* * *

_

Diana was up, finally. It took to long in Korrine's mind.

The very moment Alha'uxi had deemed Diana healthy enough to move again was thrilling and terrifying all at the same time for Korrine. Though she was sure all Diana would ever want to do from this moment on is run and walk. Staring at a ceiling and talking to the same people about the same thing's tend to bore a bedridden patient.

When Diana attempted to stand, her once fresh burns now scars, Korrine insisted Diana use one of the male's to help her. Diana refused like the stubborn woman Korrine knew her to be and stood on her own, willing all of her body to work again at the same time. Korrine waited until Diana felt ready to move her sore muscles.

It didn't take long for Diana to find herself spinning in the pilot's chair alone with nothing else to do.

Alha'uxi was also swift to change this. "_Dy'anna_." He announced himself, Diana spun around before stopping to look at him. "Hey, what's up?"

The trio had become accustomed to Diana's slang, asking about what's above their heads was no longer a misunderstanding. "_I came to ask you about your decision to join my hunt brothers and me." _Alha'uxi took the seat parallel with Diana's, "_I understand your choice and I respect it, however, you must see our reasoning_."

"I get it Alha'uxi, you're doing what's right and that, but I want to be here, with Mum, my Aunt's and my Uncles, no matter what." Diana crossed her legs on the seat, spinning to face Alha'uxi.

Alha'uxi held a taloned palm to Diana, "_Hold Dy'anna. I must insist you listen closely_."

Diana stopped spinning, uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. "Shoot, Big guy."

"_Our lives are longer then an oomans. No matter where you go or what you do, Koorene will age without you. Your lifespan has already been shortened enough as it is living on this planet. Even if you die at a young age, you will out live Koorene over two ooman generations. I wanted you to think about this not for Koorene or yourself, but also for us as a whole_." Diana rested back into the round seat, her face unreadable by Alha'uxi. "_The more ooman's learn of us, the greater threat they become. Many of our people have been subjects to experiments performed by oomans. We learn of them through distance mostly, rarely we come in contact with an ooman, threat or not, their knowledge of our existence is a danger_."

"Alha'uxi, we're naturally stronger." Diana grinned, "And more advanced, I mean, you live on a spaceship, humans are lucky when they get a rocket past Mars. Worst comes to worst, our race is stronger and better, humans wouldn't be a threat."

"_They outnumber us by hundreds of thousands. This is because of their short lifespan; they reproduce quicker and reach maturity faster. To us our numbers are high, on Earth to the oomans however, we would be a minority_."

"Minority or not, natural strength and technological advancements. If the UN decided we were a threat that had to be dealt with, then from what I've learned our ships could easily fight back and win." Diana waved her hand as if blowing away the subject.

Alha'uxi sighed, "_You do not understand. Oomans are a danger to us, possibly in the next few thousand years they will not be as our population grows, but our people focus on honor and the hunt, not science and the study of alien physiology. Oomans have the ability to learn weaponry to specifically hurt us and they have. We have been finding traveling to Earth has become a risk more and more each generation. Oomans are learning and growing, eventually they will leave Earth and they will find us_."

Diana looked around the cockpit, taking in the metal walls to the computer board. "Why tell me this?" She crossed her arms.

_"Because if you stay, they will find you and take you regardless of where you hide. This planet cannot hide you forever_." Alha'uxi warned, "_When you are caught, it will hurt Koorene, you, and our people_."

Diana stared on, narrowing her eyes. "Sometimes it's worth the risk."

Alha'uxi sighed, "_If it is what you wish_."

Diana sat alone; Alha'uxi had left her to her thoughts, purposefully shaking her branches until she couldn't think of anything but what they talked about. He was much too good at that.

She had a strong desire to go and see her specie for what they were, in her mind though, that could just as well be instinct to return to where one belongs. Family held her back now, not that Diana was going to tell Korrine about wanting to go so bad that the thought of just letting the trio leave without her was beginning to strangle her just as much as leaving Korrine to fend for herself was.

It was meant to be was how Diana thought about it. She was here, on Earth, with humans, and a human family. She needed to stay. Atone for Harvey's passing, comfort her mother, and seek out those who harmed them.

As far as she could tell, it was two against two, Korrine decided not to aid in Diana's decision, thinking that it would influence her to want something she doesn't on the mere fact of respecting and loving your family. Understandable, Diana thought, thankful for Korrine keeping neutral.

Ky'gon though, that barely blooded hunter was trouble. Being stuck with him and his family while her family suffers on another planet sounded... horrible. If Korrine consented to Diana leaving, just thinking how much she would miss her mother and how much Korrine would miss her daughter was painful, on top of that Diana would be surrounded by people she didn't know.

Much less like.

If there was only one thing Diana learned over those long days of training, it's that her species respected those with more trophies and those who demand from other's by defeating them in combat. Living such a way wasn't on Diana's to-do list before she died.

Maybe it's because she was raised by humans with morals, ethics, and how to value another's life, but earning respect through fear was not acceptable. It was fate that she was born and raised on Earth by humans.

When Diana was young, she reminded herself, her dog died. Diana learned much later that human parents often told children their pet ran away instead of the worst, Korrine and Harvey said otherwise. After explaining the basics of death, years went by and Diana came to terms with her own mortality much earlier then many her age or older. Fate, it seemed, was a different thing entirely.

If everything was decided for her and what she was worried about now already had an answer and consequence that would mean nothing she did meant anything. Religion was a complicated idea. For her sake, the trio's, and Korrine's, Diana had to think of every reason to go and to stay, all pro's and con's had to be weighed for the right decision to be made.

A life decision was never simple.

Ky'gon paced just outside the cockpit. Diana was inside and now that Alha'uxi left he may have a chance to explain himself fully rather then fear his older, more intimidating hunt brothers glaring at him, threatening him wordlessly.

Korrine developed a headache, staying silent from him and his hunt brothers. Obviously something was bothering the female and with the difference in specie expressions and scents, Ky'gon couldn't for the life of him figure out what. He had a good idea it was about Diana's choice; of course, wouldn't Diana's insistence to remain on Earth with her please her?

Humans made no sense at all.

Even Small Stone turned away after asking for Korrine, the female refused, thanked him for the offer, and then left their company. Holding a human and an Earth born unblooded on their ship was starting to get uncomfortable. Not that Ky'gon minded them specifically, but now with this question causing such concern from everyone, entering a room hoping Korrine or his hunt brother's were not there was taxing.

Korrine's disposition quickly drained the room of life, much worse then when Ky'gon's most respected clan Elder died all those years ago. Diana managed to avoid anybody who came her way unless she wanted them around. Alha'uxi had just followed her to the cockpit before talking to her; she didn't seem to mind all too much.

Alha'uxi now, he was being quiet. Usually he was when contemplating a plan; at least, he was around Ky'gon. Small Stone had agreed with Alha'uxi from the start, now with Diana staying on Earth with Korrine, Small Stone had accepted the answer and left to tend to the minimal damage done to his weapons and armor.

Ky'gon was now stuck between his hunt brothers and Diana's wellbeing. It was an easy choice, but his hunt brothers certainly thought different about it.

Ky'gon growled, he wanted to help Korrine with Diana, even if he was a young blood. Supposedly he was taught discipline and keeping out of others business, however, this seemed like one time it was necessary.

He had to help. He had to listen and learn more about Diana and her human family if he was going to understand what was truly bothering the human mother. Diana must have an extensive history, moments and people who molded Diana into what she is currently, with Paya's help; Ky'gon could find what he needed.

Straightening up, Ky'gon faced the door Alha'uxi had just left and prepared what could possibly be the longest conversation he'll ever have.

Approaching the door, it slid open as expected, but instead Diana stood in Ky'gon's way. Stunned, Ky'gon was unaware how close Diana came to his face. "_Dy'anna_."

Standing only a hair from him. "I'm going."

Ky'gon was sure he forgot to breathe and move to a comfortable distance, but Diana wasn't through with him as of yet. "On one condition."

"_Anything._" Alha'uxi appeared from the corridor.

"Mum comes with me."

____

* * *

**_Blood Shifter2_**_: Yup. For now, this is that _thing_ that's going to be a 'roundabout for a little while.  
Good intuition, Shifter._

**_GrimlockX4_**_: Yeah, I saw Iron Man in the FOX theater (in Atlanta, look it up, AWESOME place.), Iron Man 2, KICK-ASS (the movie :D), Avatar in 3D, Inception AAAAAAAANNNDDDDDDDDD I haven't seen Predators yet. DAMMIT. :(_  
_Cool. :3 Inspiration is always a useful tool to anybody. GO USE IT UP BEFORE IT'S GONE_. _Trust me, it goes FAST._

**_Malakia_**_: I'm not. I like life, please let me have it? :D  
Not yet, it's more... embarrassing for the Stooges and hilarious to Diana and Korrine, but it's coming!_

**_infernothechinchilla_**_: She would be shocked by his bluntness, yeah, but I've modeled Diana a hardheaded gal, more about that later in the story. :D Oooo, PLOT TWIST. :P_

_**.xKallistox.**: -takes deep breath- AHEM.  
! Hi 'Cole! :D WHATS UP?  
It's almost Thursday! You better be ready when I come over! WE'RE GONNA' HAVE A PART-AY. -wink wink, nudge nudge-  
Nah, but seriously, I'll bring some board games and whatnot and we'll have a blast.  
Hope your stories are going well, ever, EVER, need help, even just a little bit, call me, PM me, Meebo me, whatever, just do it and I'll throw ideas by the truck load 'til you get a totally AWESOMESAUSE idea for your stories.  
CALL YOU LATER!_


	26. Ooman Honor

______

**_Disclaimer: _**_AVP belongs to whoever makes it now... If I did own it, I sure as hell wouldn't be writing this, now would I?_

**_Character Disclaimer:_**_  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - Infernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_Ah yes, also... When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

_AN: United we Stand._

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10,000 hits! A few more reviews and I'll be at 100!

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Alha'uxi had never met a more stubborn being in his life. Granted, egotistical newly blooded warriors acted as if they were the greatest hunters around and denied evidence to the contrary. But Diana, no this was a different kind of hardheadedness. Diana was stubborn without ground, she wanted to travel with them but she wanted Korrine with them, otherwise she wouldn't go.

Ky'gon had a different take on their situation. He found it courageous that Diana was stepping up to his more experienced hunt brothers, telling them what to do where he could not.

Naturally, Korrine was thankful she wasn't going to lose her daughter, but was currently hoping none of the three large, dangerous aliens felt threatened by her display. So far, the trio had proven their specie to be primitive and advanced a contradiction that somehow fit together.

Diana stood beside Small Stone who just looked on in mild interest, or something that Diana thought was interest.

"_We explained this already Dy'anna. Koorene cannot accompany us._" Alha'uxi argued back, Diana just stood with her arms crossed and a grin that began to truly annoy him.

"Why not? She'll be with me the entire time and if my race has such a problem with that then they can all go to hell as far as I'm concerned. From the way you said it, that is what's at stake. So either take us both, or leave us and risk everything you just told me." She looked smug, like she knew she already won this argument.

Alha'uxi restrained himself from a glare, keeping a stoic appearance served as a good example for Ky'gon, who already knew Alha'uxi was fuming that Diana suggest the very thing they had denied earlier. Back to square one.

Calmly, Alha'uxi took a seat, appearing undisturbed by Diana's stubbornness. "_If Koorene was to join us once we arrive it would be disastrous. Our kind to not see ooman's as equal's Dy'anna. Most are dishonorable bad bloods and even that is too kind for most._"

Korrine huffed, "We'll have none of that Alha'uxi." She pronounced correctly, momentarily proud of herself. "This is a discussion of family, not xenophobia."

"_It is amongst our people._" Alha'uxi disagreed, crossing his arms and relaxing in his chair. "_Ooman's have not given us a reason to believe they are worthy of the many honor's a blooded hunter can receive. Some have, on rare occasions, some ooman's have traveled with our kind, but those are the only exceptions._"

"Traveled? Like, other human's have left Earth with them?" Diana stood surprised. "Then how can my Mum be a problem? It'll be just like that!"

Ky'gon shook his head, "_He means as mate's Dy'anna. Few ooman come in contact with us and live, the ones that do live usually are with us. Our home world has a small population of ooman's and hybrids. They number only ten to fifteen, then the other ooman's that do not preside on our home world travel with the clan ships, or with lone warriors. Commonly, lone warriors._"

"So... How can Mum's case be different?" Diana's eyes narrowed in attempt to understand.

"_Those ooman's,_" Small Stone alerted all to his presence. "_Have proven themselves worthy individually. There is a reoccurrence we have noticed in ooman's. When there are multiple ooman's facing a threat, they flee, usually in a destructive disorganized way, doing more damage then not. Yet when an ooman is alone, braving the inevitable without company of another of its kind, they fight, fiercely. At times we have had lone warriors who had crossed paths with one ooman to either return with the ooman as his or her mate, with the ooman as a companion warrior, or not at all._"

Diana blinked, half confused as to how Small Stone ended up on the opposite side of the room. "What did they do that Mum can't? Or hasn't?"

"_Those ooman's fought and won goals beside our kind. Alone with time and supplies, one ooman can do the very Rite of Passage three unblooded pup's face. They complete something akin to that. It's about honor and courage, though Koorene seems to be a... unique ooman that does not change the fact she has not completed any of these tasks._" Alha'uxi finished for Small Stone.

She sighed, shaking her head. "No, I mean, give me an example."

Ky'gon lit up. "_I know one._" He looked to Alha'uxi for permission to explain. The older hunter simply nodded his head in answer.

"_This was before my lifetime, the ooman had passed away, but not one of our kind around to see him had forgotten him._" Ky'gon smirked, "_This ooman presided within a large city, when it was still safe for us to venture within ooman populations. A huntress named Yt'ievj'ka had been chasing down the trail of what appeared as a new and growing threat created my ooman's who had discovered us before to fight us. From it's... damage we had seen, it was effective. No hunter would survive if only one was brought to fight ten of us._"

Diana raised her brow, fell back into a seat and crossed her legs. Ky'gon looked excited about the tale, Alha'uxi and Small Stone seem to have heard it repeatedly by the looks on their faces. Uninterested in a tale they already know.

Ky'gon smiled widely now, he felt pleased to relay the story onto someone new. "_While Yt'ievj'ka was searching this dangerous tool, an ooman had fallen across her path._"

Alha'uxi interrupted, "_He means literally fell. The ooman was on this metal extension of a building and the bars gave out from natural abuse and he fell upon her while she was cloaked._" Diana giggled, "Ouch."

A bit annoyed Alha'uxi stopped him, he continued as if he never been interrupted, all the while staring at Alha'uxi before returning to Diana and Korrine.

"_After the encounter, the ooman had survived narrowly by escaping into a dense crowd; it was a celebration of sorts... I believe they said he explained it as New's Year's day and they all watched a giant ball be dropped...?_" Ky'gon was lost, he didn't understand that part.

"Yeah, New Years Day, it's a celebration on the night when one year crosses to the next. There's a large red ball we drop from a building to signify. Often a time when people change their lives for good or worse, or supposed to be anyways." Ky'gon looked somewhat disturbed by Diana jumping into the story telling, but ignored her nonetheless. Though, keeping a mental note of 'New Years Day."

"_Regardless. She lost him, disturbed, she kept watching for him while on her mission. Passing by the metal building extension even with all the ooman's trying to replace the structure."_ Ky'gon struggled with the terms, "_A little over a month had gone by without seeing the ooman, until the extension was completed and he stood on the metal railing again. Thankful to Paya she found him again, she climbed the structure and prepared to strike the ooman._"

Ky'gon tapped his wrist blades, signifying the weapon she was using. "_Somehow, the ooman heard her and faced her even though he couldn't see her. From what the story says he explained himself as knowledgeable to her kind. He thought she was there to kill him and take his invention._" Ky'gon flashed a dark smirk, "_As it turns out, the last sighting of the weapon was correct. In the alley of an ooman city nearby where the last hunter to fall victim to this weapon had landed._"

Diana tilted her head, "_Oddly enough, he carried the weapon with him at all times and it never appeared on her helmet under any vision settings. He explained that once he ran into a male elder who was a bad blood and lost his arm when trying to escape so he created a defense, the weapon she sought, because the bad blood elder had sent his clan members to find the ooman after humiliating him when he slayed his brother when escaping through an ooman supply yard._"

"And he went with her?" Diana shook her head, "That doesn't make sense."

Alha'uxi held his hand up, taking the place of the informer for Ky'gon. "_He said he knew of our culture and knew what kind of warrior he dealt with. After designing the weapon he endangered others he knew and had to face the threat; Dexik'el, an infamous bad blood. He asked Yt'ievj'ka for aid against him and, as any blooded would do, she accepted. Needless to say they had triumphed eventually and Yt'ievj'ka deemed him worthy as a mate, both in strength and heart._"

Korrine stared, licked her lips, and sighed. "Tilly, you can't change their minds." She patted Diana's shoulder, "Just leave it be."

She sat there, her stubbornness had worn thin, but she had will. Korrine was by no means heroic and as much as Diana tried to deny it, Korrine was older; she wouldn't withstand an act the trio currently talked about. Diana wouldn't have it though, she had to find a loop hole, a way Korrine could come with them without problems. She had to find a way now or remain running from the people who hunt her. Diana didn't want that for Korrine especially after they lost Harvey.

The room was quiet; Alha'uxi temporarily believed he may have just convinced Diana to the contrary. This all crumbled when a very concerning look appeared on Diana's face. Something that Alha'uxi knew to be '_I-know-something-you-don't_.'

Diana laughed and shook her head, the others in the room only watched on, wondering what she could be thinking, perhaps something they missed, and something they already said, or maybe simply just lost her mind.

"Then... from what you all are saying, Mum can come with us." Diana chuckled, "She's already done something like that."

Alha'uxi was stumped, he thought harder and harder about what Diana was saying. They said no, Korrine couldn't come, and they explained humans don't venture off world with yautja unless they've proved themselves worthy to the hunter of their own honor. Korrine was an older human, that wasn't hard to see, Alha'uxi was experienced in the age process of humans and Korrine past her prime already, and she also never even knew what Diana was until they told her.

"_I do not follow Dy'anna, when did we say Koorene may join us?_" Ky'gon leaned over, catching Diana's attention.

Diana smiled, took Korrine's hand and held it close. "She is worthy, just as Harvey was, and my Aunt and Uncles, Grandmother and Grandfather. They became so all at the same time, for the same deed." Korrine was about to question Diana just as she realized her point and instead let her continue with a growing smile. "They all saved me."

Ky'gon instantly turned to Alha'uxi, nodding to him. "_Dy'anna is right._"

Small Stone must have agreed, else he would have spoken against it. Alha'uxi was staring dead to Small Stone, hoping for some kind of understanding. "_I had not... thought about it that way. We will need more details of course._"

Diana left it to Korrine; she hadn't remembered that night excluding what she had told her parent's, the cold solitude and then the warm home with people around her.

"Harvey had taken me to the park near our home on Christmas, a yearly celebration. We found a secluded spot where he proposed to me. We only had a moment to relish when we heard a noise from the trees. Harvey was curious and against my wishes he looked through the branches and found Diana." She sighed, it was almost too hard to remember when Harvey proposed and harder yet now he wasn't there to tell it with her. "We thought at first she was boy, just to say anything besides saying _it_. We also thought she was human naturally."

"_You found her in the trees at a par'k. I fail to see how you 'saved' her._" Alha'uxi inquired, not in offence, but in interest.

"If you knew how cold it gets in England especially at one of the coldest months of the year and saw that Diana wore nothing but rags that barely covered her, you'd understand." Korrine answered, "Anyone would die of exposure like that. I thoroughly believe it was Diana's thick skin that saved her."

Nodding in confirmation, Korrine continued her own story. "I was... put off at first when Harvey and I discovered her appearance, but we both knew that if we didn't save her from the cold and the government she would have died or been killed. So we took her home. We gave her warmth, love, attention, a roof and food. We gave all we could and we're not rich, we couldn't really afford a child, yet all of it was worth to give her a real life, Diana is special and I'm proud to call her my daughter... even if I am her adopted mother."

Alha'uxi looked downward before getting Small Stone's and Ky'gon's attention. "_Prepare for departure._" Alha'uxi stood, his hunt brothers leaving the room as he addressed Korrine and Diana. "_Once you are ready, we shall leave for our respective clans. Diana, Koorene, Ky'gon is the son of an elder, with his influence and trust of a clan leader it would be safest for you to remain within his clan. Small Stone and myself are always near, our clans are not that far apart and being we are hunt brothers it is expected for us to visit each other and hunt with each other over time._"

Korrine released Diana's hand, "Alha'uxi, would you mind speaking with me for a moment, privately?"

Diana tapped her lap before jumping up. "I'll just be... outside, err, whatever. Find me when you're done Mum." With that, Diana left the room, heading to join Ky'gon and Small Stone in the cockpit once more.

"_You wish to speak Koorene?_" Alha'uxi looked down to the human, she was generally average height for a human, but still short compared to him.

Taking a deep breath, Korrine entwined her fingers, generating a self support. "I want to ask that if my being with Diana while with you is such a problem as you and the others have said, then I don't want to cause trouble. I don't want anyone to be questioned just for my sake. If it is truly such a... dangerous thing I come with you, then I would much rather give Diana a chance to live like she deserves."

As he made note of before, Korrine was and older human and with age comes wisdom and experience, he knew that first hand. She was no exception, just as she loved Diana and wanted to be with her, Korrine equally wanted Diana to have the life rather then the hiding she had lived for so long at the human cities.

Placing one hand on each of her shoulders, Alha'uxi reassured her. "_Dy'anna is correct in her point and with Ky'gon's father as an elder; there will be no worries over your presence. I will not lie, it will be difficult for members a part of Ky'gon's clan to become accustomed to you, though it will happen and you will be accepted without a second thought. I have chosen Ky'gon because it will be easier for you and Diana to find homage, whereas with me or Small Stone, even with our histories, it would be dangerous."_ Alha'uxi nudged Korrine to walk with him out of the room.

"_Do not freight Koorene, all will be well. I warn you of one thing. It would be looked down upon if you, Dy'anna, or Ky'gon told anyone of Dy'anna's origin. If they found out she had been raised with ooman's on Earth, she will be judged accordingly. I do not speak of behalf of all my kind, some will choose to ignore that detail, but others will not look on kindly and feel Dy'anna does not deserve a place with them_." Korrine gulped quietly, she could see the problem with that, and yautja's have been explained to her as somewhat primitive and advanced. This topic, however, would remain in the field of primitive behavior.

Touching Alha'uxi's forearm and facing him before exiting the room, Korrine wanted to confirm her place. "I do not agree with such... brutality Alha'uxi, but if this is the only way Diana can live normally as God intended for your kind to live, I will not stop it."

"_I will inform Ky'gon of such plans, he will approach you when all is said and decided. For now, ready yourself, we leave tonight._" Alha'uxi opened the door and stood out of the way for Korrine, "_We will wait for you though, no matter how long it takes._"

"I do believe I will be good to go in only a little while, thank you Alha'uxi."

With a friendly smile, Korrine went off to find Diana. There were a few things she had to talk about before they arrived at their new home.

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_**Teddy-Wabbitz:**__ Thanks! :D  
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_**Blood Shifter2:** Bet you didn't see this coming! Shouting isn't Alha'uxi's thing from what I've heard from Rita, his creator. Also, Ky'gon's BURSTING with stories in the future, it's going to be easy to say he's a newly blooded hunter.  
And the family is on their way to the clan! FINALLY._

_**GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK:** Of course Korrine's going. No one ever thought that by saving Diana Korrine would be deemed an honorable human by yautjan standards, did they now? :)  
Library of Congress, eh? It my MOST FAVORITE PLACE of ALL TIME. It was by far the most gorgeous building Washington D.C. had to offer, I mean, Lincoln Memorial: Awesome. Washington Monument: Sweeeet. Capitol Building? Hell, if they actually GAVE you a tour, I'm sure it would've been nice, but all you see is the Hall of Heroes and then... fucksticks, that's about it. xP  
The Library of Congress had Jefferson's collection, which was AMAZING looking at "Politics for Geniuses", "DIY Construction", then suddenly "Gardening for families." That was so cool.  
Of course...  
Those titles are made up to joke about his love of arcitecture, his political standpoint, and his apparent urge to garden something._

_**mckeown:** Hellz yeah. Wouldn't you for your mother, father, brother, or sister? It would be as bad as condeming them to isolation after they just lost their husband/wife! I wrote Diana as a down to Earth (literally LOL) kind of gal, someone who values her family as they are not for what they're not or what they get her. I made her different then the common nowaday's teenager, she and her family are so much more then just your average neighbor's.  
Woo for the people who choose to stand up for themselves and show their differences!_

_**Malakia:** HOO-HA! She is and that's why I love her character. Women aren't demanding enough and those who are, are either extreme feminist's, corrupt politictions, bitchy gal's who give women a bad name, or fantasy women who act like everything's supposed to be perfect; boyfriends/friends/life etc. etc.  
Women who are exceptions to that now growing fact are the gal's I want to know, people I want to hang with and aren't afraid to admit their mistakes.  
Fuck everyone else._

I think it's fairly obvious I'm one of these demanding women, of course, if I apply to one of these factual streotypes is ALLLLLL up to you. :)


	27. History

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_**Disclaimer: **The world hates me, I know this now._

**_Character Disclaimer:_**_  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - Infernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

**AN:** Alright, I got that painfull tooth removed, now I need one filled and another one needs a root canal, then I'll be fine. :)

Right now, unfortunately, my family is sucked into a lawsuit with a hospital right now. Weird huh? Yeah, it's fucking crazy, so I'm tired, cold, my jaw hinge hurts, and both my parents are either completely immobile (Dad) or semi-immobile (Mom).

Forgive me if my updates seem lazier right now, I go through days, sometimes months, where my routine drags me down. Not in a "I have so much to do" but I get really happy and I write a lot, I work happily, I sing songs, then I realize the hard truth that I'll be going to college soon after I get my GED. But I don't have time to study because my Dad's lazy and a jackass so I can't get my GED until I finish the book.

In other words, I realize my education has been on hold for nearly four-five years since my Dad's first life-saving operation and has only stopped again to make sure he doesn't become an amputee. I'm depressed and I feel hopelessly dull right now, that makes me worried that whatever I write will be boring and my readers won't like me anymore.

Glarg. I'm just beating myself upside the head for everything right now.

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Diana won the argument; Alha'uxi admitted he hadn't thought the way she did. Counting what Korrine had done to save and protect Diana, then raising her as a normal human mother would a normal human child was something worth notation that was certain. He was smart enough though to know that Elder's of any clan nor the members would accept this as worthiness, so they... bended the truth.

Diana was fine with it so long as it got Korrine to travel with her. They would tell Ky'gon's father, or the clan Elder, that Korrine had saved Diana as a pup and with fruitless attempts to return her to her people, had kept and cared for her until they had met Ky'gon, Alha'uxi, and Small Stone, making it much easier for the Elder to understand and accept.

Naturally though, there were some complications.

Ky'gon's father was not known for his mercifulness. If he discovered their deceivement they would be punished to the fullest extent of their law. Ky'gon was uncomfortable to say the least. He would go unaffected if their lie was found out, but his work as of late, including with Diana and Korrine, would be erased and all credibility would be stripped from him. He would be dishonored, he would only loose twenty-nine years of hunt and be given the opportunity to reclaim his honor.

That and Ky'gon's father wasn't easily lied to. He was able to tell if one of their most experienced hunters was lying, he even dared to call out an honored female warrior when she lied.

Ky'gon also feared that because it was hard to lie to his father and escape, was that his father wasn't very accepting as it was.

Granted, they were sending Diana and Korrine with him solely because he was the Elder's son, if he wasn't they'd go with Alha'uxi without a question. This defeated the purpose; Ky'gon's father would require quite the tale to accept Diana and a human into his clan even if the human had proven herself worthy of such a position.

All he wanted was Diana safe, if having Korrine with her would do such a thing, Ky'gon wanted Korrine with them too.

It was something about Diana, she wasn't like the females of his clan obviously, she was raised as a human but still thrives in the same life a yautja has. She lives in both worlds, as both species without a single problem. Perhaps that was Paya sending them a sign that yautja's and humans could live together in a peaceful relationship.

Or it was simply a case of a brave human going to great lengths to protect her morals. Possibly both.

Ky'gon growled at himself. Looking carefully around making sure no one was near as he tried to relax through such stress.

He enjoyed his time with Diana greatly, more so then he did hunting with his friends of old. Even more then being with his hunt brothers on Earth, finding the most dangerous inhabitant.

She was so unlike what he came to understand as the female behavior. Demanding and violent, a female would order her male into submission, either it be for mating or in everyday life. All males would sooth an angry female because they would dominate the majority of males in battle. Female's were respected and feared, when mating came around confusion abounded to the lesser experienced hunter's.

A female was just so unpredictable, she would lay calm one moment then claw you to shreds the next. Of course, there were exceptions to this. A female he knew as an unblooded was quite friendly, more like a pup male then what all others said the females were and he was surprised. She was full of curiosity, she also didn't care if she left her family in search for the most interesting thing she could possibly come across.

Diana reminded Ky'gon of her, but this time Diana remained who she was without question and then enforced it when questioned. Sometimes to the point where a certain hunt brother would feel something like tying her up and locking her in a room just to prove his point.

Finally Ky'gon had stopped trying to understand Diana as a person and went along with whatever she may be. Though she was far more human then yautjan, that was for sure.

Somewhat relaxed Ky'gon felt the ship exiting Earth's atmosphere, it wasn't a clean exit and he heard some kind of growling coming from the cockpit closely followed by some berating featuring Diana's name.

He felt tired of Alha'uxi and Diana's little bouts. Given the much older more experienced hunter would be saying the exact same thing about her, he still avoided Diana and Alha'uxi until the two stopped talking to each other all together.

Though even that simple task was becoming somewhat impossible.

Diana was everywhere, Ky'gon didn't understand how, he just saw her every time he turned a corner, left for his quarters, or even tried to eat. There she was just... being there. Not doing a single thing. One time he exited his berth, turning around, he faced Diana who was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, eyes staring endlessly down the hall.

When he asked who she was waiting for, she replied with a bright smile and nodded towards Alha'uxi's door. "_Alha'uxi,_" She said, humor etching her face, "_I have a new argument for him to meddle with._"

He turned away that instant, disappearing down the hall and to Diana and Korrine's berth, where Korrine stayed. He had to talk with Korrine when no one else was around, perhaps he'd never understand Diana, but he wasn't going to give up.

"_Koorene._" Ky'gon entered the room, loaned to Korrine and Diana, "_I wish an audience._"

Korrine stood, turning instantly towards her visitor. "Oh, yes of course, come in Ky'gon." She smiled, the expression adapted to appear perfectly to her alien features. "I was just winding down for the day before bed, did you need something?"

Ky'gon nodded, cautiously stepping forward. Years of experience with his own species females forced him to be cautious with the opposite gender, especially older, wiser ones; they tended to have more leverage.

"_I wanted to speak of Dy'anna._" He took a seat across from Korrine as she watched with caring eyes and a bright smile, both betraying how truly tired she was as the day went on. "_About her life on your home world. Specifically I would like to ask of her puphood, what have you done to care for her?_"

Korrine blinked rapidly, "Oh, well, a lot actually." She chuckled, "Feed, watered, kept her warm, gave her a roof and childhood. All a parent can do."

"_How did she... survive?_" Korrine shrugged, "By being healthy. I'm sorry Ky'gon; I don't understand what you're asking I guess." Korrine shook her head and running a hand through her blonde hair.

Ky'gon nodded, "_In your terms, I would believe I am asking her thoughts and reactions to how she was raised or during that time._"

Korrine's jaw dropped before she laughed, "You mean family moments? You're asking about her childhood, what she did." Taking honest surprise in Ky'gon interest, Korrine began to recount specific moments in Diana's life she found especially amusing.

"One time, I took Diana to the store for shopping, at this time it was winter and we could get away with a hoodie and scarf so we did on rare occasions, telling people she had severe allergies worked fine and they understood." Korrine sighed, hands resting on her crossed knees. "Diana had begun piling snacks she liked into the trolley. Candies and whatnot, by the time I saw what she was doing, she was carrying as least nine bags of candy." Korrine laughed, sighing happily. "Needless to say she went home a sugar-sick girl."

"_How old was she at this time?_" Ky'gon kept himself straight and careful; this ooman was, from experience, a very protective mother.

"Hmm, we never knew how old she was when we found her." She admitted lowly, "We had to guess, she couldn't tell us at the time and when she could, she couldn't remember. We figured she must have been at least nine years of age, I know now that we were probably wrong but then... I would have to guess she may have been sixteen to us."

"_We live longer then oomans-"_ Korrine nodded, she knew this already, "-_and from my knowledge of ooman years compared to yautjan... I would believe she must have been twenty to twenty four._"

She eyes widened, "Oh my..." Korrine rested a hand against her breathless chest. "I knew we must have been wrong with what we know now... but dear God I didn't think we were that far off..."

"_It is understandable. As well as her appetite at that age._" Ky'gon mused, guesstimating Diana's age all those years ago forced Ky'gon to come to a conclusion, "_There is a time during a pup's life where a nutrient is lost; one not commonly found on your home world. There are few stronger substances that carry it. I have come in contact with these naturally occurring items, such as caff'ne and c-coa._" He strained his voice, inwardly amusing himself with thoughts of his stressed out translator.

"You mean things like chocolates? Caffeine is so common it's just about in everything we eat now, it keeps us awake with a crash side-effect." No wonder Diana went for caffeine products so much, it wasn't that she just enjoyed the taste of the candies or drinks; she needed the substance within it to be healthy. That's why she was never affected by the caffeine content as much as everyone else.

"_Side-effect?_" It was true, Ky'gon knew _of_ the favoring; but not what it did to humans.

"Yes, it'll give us full awareness, we'll hear more, see more, smell more, feel more, and all around heighten our senses beyond their normal capacity so long as we have enough of it." Shuddering at the haunting feeling, Korrine remembered a day she drank too much coffee or ate too much sugar as a young adult, "But it will only last so long. Eventually, the boost in metabolism will take its toll on us; we'll slow down to the point of collapsing. We can fall asleep without hope of being woken up or, if necessity allows it, we'll drag on our day. It's a rather... unpleasant feeling."

"_I see._" New fact about humans; much more sensitive to what they ingest.

* * *

Korrine smiled, her daughter was sleeping contently in her bed. She wasn't so tired, her conversation with Ky'gon had her ever so much happier that Diana was even alive. Yautja's weren't built to survive in human nature; their bodies couldn't handle the contradictions with their own natural habitats.

With all the mistakes, as any good yautjan mother would call them, Diana's health was still flawless except for her sensitivity to the cold and various... foods.

Yet even though Korrine marveled at Diana's survival, it wasn't that which kept Korrine fully awake.

Ky'gon was careful to approach the subject of Harvey's participation in Diana's puphood to his passing. Korrine had not predicted such a change in the atmosphere, but when it came, it was unbearable.

He had ensured to her that he merely was intrigued by their lives together as a family; apparently, life-mates were difficult to find and even then, were harder to live with. The population of life-mates against those who mate to conceive pups was, to Korrine, ludicrous. Marriage was about as rare as finding gold in your backyard.

Then, when he first asked of Harvey's input to Diana's life, Ky'gon opened a questionnaire about his and Korrine's relationship, as Ky'gon put it, he asked Korrine left to right about their "_history as life-mates"_ and "_possible benefits._"

It was an odd topic, certainly not one Korrine saw herself having with Ky'gon, or anyone else for that matter, but Alha'uxi had said Ky'gon was barely a blooded hunter, which meant barely a young adult through a bit of luck and chance. Of course, his birthright helped. Son of a clan Elder had a ring to it and its perks.

So, with a cautious tongue, Korrine began counting notable times of her marriage. At first, it was off putting to discuss the healing wound yet in Korrine's mind, Ky'gon was a young man interested in love; a feeling he never experienced before. It would be rude to deny the subject; and to pass up an opportunity to express personal feelings on love as a mother to a young man was something not to be taken for granted, she had to agree to the conversation if only for it's rarity.

To Korrine's surprise, Ky'gon listened to every word... then picked apart her sentences in order to reach a better understanding. While it was great to have such a young man listening as any parent always wanted; this was something completely different.

After the long conversations about finding a life-mate and knowing they are your life-mate before becoming one with them, Ky'gon asked for proof of this isolated number of beings who partake in it.

That took her a moment.

Ky'gon waiting patiently for her answer and just before he told her that was what had concerned him about having one partner forever (the conjecture of love's existence), Korrine rebottled.

"How big is the universe?" Ky'gon was taken aback, "_Infinite, even oomans know this._" She grinned, "You have never _seen_ the expanse of the universe, you can't see nor feel the never ending space which makes our galaxies. How do you know?"

"_How is this relevant Koorene?_" She simply held a hand up, gesturing for him to listen and answer her, "_It is taught to each pup usually to be considered during their mature life. Hunters have reached the vastness of space and found nor saw no end. Oomans sent probes into space, beyond where our own ships can travel to without risk; all experiences point to one answer. It is infinite._"

"Logically, it hasn't been proven yet." Ky'gon shifted under Korrine's confident gaze; he knew she knew something he hadn't thought of now. "_True._" Korrine stood and his eyes followed her with great interest. "And you haven't seen it." He nearly scoffed at the statement, of course he hadn't, no one had. "_No._"

"How do you know for sure?" She stood directly in front of him, her fingers clasped together in front of her as Ky'gon leaned back to see her better. "_I do not, I simply believe in it._"

She rested a single hand on his shoulder as she smiled brightly, "Same with love I guess."

That was the end of their conversation, Ky'gon spoke nothing in return; he agreed with her comparison without a doubt in his mind. She knew he believed her and had meant to thank her for the talk, but he had to think; about the proof of love, a reason to acquire a life-mate rather then mate for pups.

His father wouldn't approve if he had a life-mate so early on in his time as a blooded hunter, for now it seemed, patience is a virtue.

* * *

As Diana awoke, she saw her mother dressed and exiting the room, before she could greet her Korrine had left without knowing her daughter was awake.

Smiling to herself, Diana took her time to wake up; turning to her clothes she wore before she actually woke up to see everyone.

On facing the small nightstand-like metal slab jutting from the wall, as Ky'gon explained where most hunters keep their most personal effects for safety and emergency purposes, she notice something strange. Her clothes weren't there.

Still more asleep then aware, she just assumed they had fallen off, se she checked the floor, the bed, Korrine's bed, Korrine's nightstand, and finally her own body.

They were no where in the room that was for sure.

Just as she was about to surrender to sleep once more, she stole a second glance at the nightstand.

There. On the stand. Stuff. _Stuff_ that wasn't hers.

Holding a piece of the metal-leather breastplate, Diana inspected it with a careful hand before she realized what it was for.

Sighing helplessly, Diana navigated herself through the armor, strapping on pieces, overlapping some, tying on various accoutrements. It took over thirty minutes when Diana found herself suited in the highly revealing armor. There was the signature fishnet style cord that crossed her whole body except for her arms and lower legs.

Basically, her armor was the same as Ky'gon's, including the lack of chest modesty. Diana realized this first. The breastplate only covered _part_ of her chest, while her right side was supported only by a thick band of a leather-like belt and material. It was uncomfortable to say the least, Diana felt like she continuingly had to check her chest to make sure nothing _fell out_. That was difficult. Her covered side was adorned with a thick and heavy metal Diana knew Alha'uxi and Ky'gon to share an interest in, apparently, it allowed freedom of their dominate arm; the side they used to take blows and render enemies, well, dead.

Diana shivered; her lower half was no better. Beside for her breasts being seen by all except for the very part that made the barrier for nudity and half nudity.

It was a loincloth, but not made out of any material known on Earth naturally. It was durable even if it could be torn. It was like strongly woven metal wiring. The 'buckle', as Diana called it, that held the fine chain link material up was an oval shaped clasp with a symbol Diana couldn't understand. It must be an emblem from Alha'uxi's clan as was the plan they formed.

Diana shook her head; she couldn't think of the plan now, it made her nervous and Ky'gon said her confidence in the matter would make all the difference. The way Ky'gon explained his father; he could smell fear from space.

The fishnet cords connected to the smooth metal belt while separated strips of metal were hooked into the belt, giving space for holding smaller weapons on it. Diana guessed a dagger and that disc Alha'uxi held so close to him was ideal for those extras.

The fishnet cords stopped just above her knees where knee guards were tightened in place and hooked the fishnet sternly.

There were no shoes. This was Diana's only comfort wearing the armor. She spited the thought of trotting around in clunky metal boots. Her tolerance for her current lack of style would end had they given her armored boots.

To say the least; Diana would have preferred walking into the welcoming ceremony with a bikini on carrying a handbag. While her clothing screamed immaturity and stupidity all Diana had to do was remind herself of her fear for this immodest, noisy, heavy armor then suddenly, everything else would look like Kashmir.

Diana had to take a few deeps breaths before braving the outside... and her friend's faces.

Fortunately, Diana ran into Small Stone first who had taken his time away from the other louder members of their makeshift group. She couldn't blame him; she would have done the same given the chance.

"_Dyana._" He greeted, his face showing no signs of approval or disapproval to what she wore. "_Greetings. Your attire has improved since the last time we spoke_."

_What a gentleman._ Diana thought wistfully. "Tha-" She mentally smacked herself, she needed to speak Yautjan now that they neared Ky'gon's clan. "_Thank you Small Stone. I must admit though, it is rather uncomfortable roaming around like this._"

Small Stone gestured her to follow him, it was early, and no doubt he was heading off to have his own breakfast as she was planning. "_I would expect no less. Your more common dress would never be appropriate for our people, though I do understand your discomfort._"

Diana's face brightened up, "_You do not like the metal either?_"

He shook his head, "_No, I simply am saying in comparison to your previous clothing of choice that wearing armor is odd and alien to you._" Diana slouched and grunted her response.

The door slid open, alone with Small Stone, not very good for table conversation. All he ever talked about was better armaments or weaponry, tactics or just... nothing. He barely ever started a conversation and when he did it was information for himself then he stopped completely, leaving the conversationalist he questioned confused and a bit stunned.

Those days came and went, Small Stone gave out pearls of wisdom, but those were so rare that one could stamp '_endangered specie_' on it and shove it under a nature conservative and no one would complain.

It seemed all silent while they are their respective breakfasts, Small Stone ate this meat substance that she still found revolting and hers was a more... vegetarian meal, or so she thought it was. Food was still a weak subject, foods, meals, planets, and prey animals were all uninteresting and therefore developed a disgusting look by Diana while the others ate the mysterious meat.

"_Dyana._" She jerked up, swallowing her food as she stared doe-eyed at Small Stone. "_Yes?_"

"_I know you are concerned about your introduction to Ky'gon's clan and especially his father._" He sat upright; apparently he had finished his food within seconds of sitting down. It attracted Diana's attention more then Small Stone's statement. "_Dyana._" He wanted her to listen what he was saying; he fine well knew Diana wasn't known for her focus.

"_Yes, sorry it's just... you eat so fast._" She blinked at him, chewing on the piece of fruit.

"_Your inexperience with your own kind will undoubtedly cause difficulty for you and Korrene._" Diana was genuinely shocked every time he had pronounced their names better then Alha'uxi or Ky'gon, it was as if he held a greater control over his vocals and understood the trick to human speech. "_Though my own knowledge of ooman life is rather limited as is any other yautja's, I do tolerate more mistakes and miscommunications between our two species. If you wish to speak of your problems I may be able to explain better then my Hunt Brothers._"

It felt as though her guard melted away, she was worrying over how she will fair against Ky'gon's clan's mindset and how she was raised. Alha'uxi offered all the help he could as did Ky'gon, though both males were caring for Diana in a way she was familiar with, Small Stone offered a place as the friend who told the truth, no matter how much it hurts or disappoints her.

Too Diana, Small Stone was a '_tough love_' kind of friend. She needed his honesty and his sensibility for this act they were to put on.

"Do you mind if I talk like this?" He showed no offence, so she continued without an answer. "Alright, yes, I'm concerned to put it lightly. I'm freaking out and this... outfit isn't helping out at all."

He nodded once as Diana tried to pick out some abnormality with his position. Having such symmetrical posture made Diana rather jealous.

"_Clan acceptance is not to be worried over._" His right taloned fingers tapped the metal table, "_Ky'gon's father, the Elder, is all you should watch for. His intuition is well respected and proven day by day with his exploits as the clan Elder. You do have an advantage over him though._" Diana looked on with disbelief, "_Ky'gon himself, he is the youngest of his siblings and this is only his third hunt, first on Earth. Ky'gon's father took his time allowing Ky'gon to set foot on Earth, concerned for his son's safety. All he will want to know of his hunt and therefore will pass over you with less then a word. You will introduce yourself and how you crossed us as the plan goes; all Ky'gon's father will do is look to his son for confirmation; when he receives it, there will be no question as to whom you are._"

"So... Ky'gon's Dad has a soft spot for the baby?" Diana mentally 'awed' at the thought of Ky'gon as an infant being rocked to sleep by a considerably well armed and extremely dangerous yautjan leader.

"_That is the term in ooman tongue I believe._"

She giggled; it came out so suddenly she couldn't keep her amusement in anymore. "That's so sweet."

For a split second, Diana swore she saw the hint of a smirk on Small Stone's mandibles, but it disappeared as he spoke again. "_Now are you afraid of your acceptance?_"

Stopping her giggling fit, Diana kept the mental image of Ky'gon as a baby before her mandibles twitched in joy. Seeing the possible appearance of the Elder holding Ky'gon in his arms generated a sense of fatherhood instead of a towering, powerful leader who ruled his subjects with brilliance and respect. Somehow, the change of her pattern affected her more then she thought. Granted watching the Elder coo baby Ky'gon into fits of laughter was probably not near anything he did in his life with Ky'gon, but the thought helped.

"You're the best Small Stone." She stood up just as he did, "_All you have to do really Dyana is remember your story and for Paya's sake, stand up straight._" He scoffed leaving the room and Diana corrected herself.

Diana would be lying if she said anyone but Small Stone could easily talk her out of her fears. Not even Korrine could do that after a certain age. Diana liked him in general, his history still blank to her, in her mind, he deserved more then it truly seemed he did. He was silent mostly, relishing in privacy and quiet while others ran headfirst into action. _He'd make an excellent Elder_, she mused inwardly, perhaps she barely knew of yautjan hierarchy besides for what ranks means what, but Small Stone was out now as a hunter, a fighter, more a named soldier then a saluted general.

It was his ingenuity that created her 'story' in preparation for Ky'gon's father and his clan, without his ideas and attention to detail; they wouldn't have a solid story.

None of them were truly creative enough to do such a thing.

She'd better get an invitation to his inauguration as an Elder, she smiled to herself, or she'd make him.

* * *

**_Blood Shifter2:_**_ Ky'gon's return and their introduction to the clan will be in the next chapter, it'll be based around interactions with the clan, greetings, and whatnot. :)  
YEAH, TAKE THAT MEN. Did you know women display more masculinity then feminity and a man more feminity then masculinity? In fact, since the three major hormones (estrogen and testostorone as opposite extremes) that it is more common for a man to have higher levels of estrogen to make up for his high levels of testostorone while a woman can fluctuate through highs and lows due to "that" time of the month.  
Of course, there is more speculation and details, but if you ever get interested in the oddness and misunderstanding between the genders, it's an interesting topic.  
Korrine is the pinicle of monogamy. She'll remain single for a while, as to IF she'll meet some Yautja... Hee hee, well that's my little secret. 3_

**_mckeown:_**_ I respect honesty a great deal. Only displayed more by Small Stone and Diana's interactions in this chapter. :P  
I'm glad I've proven your original disinterest incorrect and have you reading, readers like you, those who dislike but learn to enjoy (and then review, quite the task!) are the people I like to attract. Hopefully, this story will open you to different stories that you usually wouldn't read, but decide to give them a chance. :)  
I used to THINK I knew what I liked in a story, but quickly got smacked into reading and immersing myself in stories I thought once to be bad or just not intriguing to me.  
Thanks for reviewing too! I know it's a case of if you have the time or if you even have something to say other then the normal "Update plz thx" so read on, like or not I love opinions, they help me improve._

**_Malakia:_**_ POINT GIVEN LAWL :D  
Actually, Diana's loosely based on what my family tells me I seem like. I'm stubborn to where it's annoying, I H.A.T.E. being proven wrong 'cause I feel stupid then, I know what I like now that I have tried boat loads of new things and when people tell me I'm not open minded I want to hit them 'cause they don't know me well enough.  
Diana's... like that. I made her nicer though so readers relate her as the protagonist more. It's no good making her act like a stuck up bitch, wouldn't make sense either; hidden from the world, protected, when seen; judged, fearfullness of not being accepted.  
I also imputted a few of my personal social fears so attract readers a feeling of realism. That's the best I can really do, anything else and, well, she'd be a Mary-Sue or the most hated protagonist in history. :P_


	28. Pyode Amedha

______

______

_**Disclaimer: **The world hates me, I know this now._

**_Character Disclaimer:_**_  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - Infernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

_When in Italics that identifies all the times characters are speaking yautjan._

**Alright, two things** on the list today!

One, I finished Diana's picture on DA! Can you believe it? My brother got me Photoshop 7.0! He's such an awesome brother!

___________Two, I wanted to see if anyone knew the conversation between Ky'gon and Korrine from anywhere else... Since I can't take credit for it and forgot to mention this in the chapter it was written in. :P_

**Anyways!**The proof Korrine gave Ky'gon that love exists is not of my own work, however, when I heard it I loved it and needed to use it. Luckily, I was able to incorporate it into the story; I want to see if you can guess from where!

Original Conversation:

_____**Woman**: How big is the universe?  
**Man**: Infinite.  
**Woman**: How do you know?  
**Man**: I know because all the data indicates it's infinite.  
**Woman**: But it hasn't been proven yet.  
**Man**: No.  
**Woman**: You haven't seen it.  
**Man**: No.  
**Woman**: How do you know for sure?  
**Man**: I don't, I just believe it.  
**Woman**: It's the same with love I guess. _

_____I'll give you a hint! It's from a movie made in 2001! It's also a beautiful movie; a sad, heartbreakingly, beautiful movie._

* * *

"Absolutely not!" Diana giggled, seeing the Stooges' faces when Korrine spotted the get-up they gave her. "Look at her! She's barely covered!"

"_Dy'anna, what is this Koorene is so averse about?_" Ky'gon tilted towards Diana, his head turned slightly but he dared not look away from Korrine; the three watched as if Korrine would take their heads off and brandish their skulls. Probably could in this rage.

"My-" Diana sighed and rolled her eyes, "_My clothes; we don't wear this kind of... stuff._" Diana's mandible twitched, she hadn't a clue what this armor would be called.

Small Stone took action after hearing Diana, "_Korrene, the attire given to Dyana is common for a female of her age and stature; were she to wear the clothing of ooman's, there would be consequences._" He insisted Korrine wanted to be sweet on the patient warrior; he was seemingly more relaxed then anyone else and was always considerate towards her ignorance of the yautjan people.

"Isn't there anything more... covering? I mean, look at her!" Korrine pointed and everyone turned their heads; Diana cowered away from the examination of her clothing; effectively her body. "Hello, stop staring please." She raised her arms in front of her chest, as if it would help to cover her half-naked torso.

"_Koorene, this is our attire, you cannot change that._" Alha'uxi stepped forward, calming the raging woman by placing a steady hand on her shoulder, "_We are fortunate we had this; there is usually no other armor aboard a hunt ship. Had we taken Dy'anna to meet with the clan in her previous wear, as Small Stone said, things would not go well._"

Korrine wanted to fight the issue, but she knew nothing of yautjan culture beside a basic hierarchy she learned from the trio back in Catalonia. She gave out a defeated sigh, "Fine, but if I see anyone staring at her; I'll kill them. Including any of you."

"_I believe you._" Alha'uxi's mandibles twitched upwards in an alien smile, the trio could respect Korrine's defensiveness as a mother, yautjan mothers are similar, but without reason and only demand.

"If it's worth anything, I'm kinda' cold." Diana coughed a bit for added effect, Korrine's mouth opened to say something comforting, the usual motherly behavior she was known for even before she had adopted Diana as a child. "You know what, you deserve it."

Diana gasped before smiling widely, "Oh, you're so mean! You've gotten so bloody mean since we joined them!" Korrine laughed while Diana playfully slapped her arm and merely shrugged in reply.

"_We are here._"

Diana jumped, "Oh, oh God. Am I ready? Do I look ready? I sure hope so, because I really don't feel ready." Korrine pulled Diana's arm back to her, "Come on, Tilly. Let's do this nice and smooth, remember; only speak when spoken to, don't give off much, be very cautious, when someone asks you a question you cannot answer let the others do it for you. Alha'uxi and Small Stone will be here until tomorrow so as to speak with Ky'gon's father about their hunt."

"Yeah, okay, right. I'll just... do... that." Diana half laughed, half cried.

"_Just stay close with us, we will make sure nothing happens to you or Koorene._" Alha'uxi confirmed, his mask hooked on as were the others. "_We have this for you to wear, you may not be used to wearing it but it is of simply design._"

Ky'gon came up behind Diana, offering a mask of the same design as theirs. "Oh, I take it I have to wear this?" The trio didn't reply, "Okay, just show me how to put it on..."

Alha'uxi and Small Stone stood in front of the slowly opening ramp while Ky'gon finished showing how the mask worked just as the ramp touched the metal floors.

Ky'gon was out with his hunt brothers first; Diana and Korrine would wait until they introduced them to make their presence known.

"_Son._" The Elder greeted, shaking Ky'gon's shoulder. Alha'uxi and Small Stone stood aside while the family reunited. "_I trust your hunt was a success?_"

"_It was father,_" Ky'gon glanced between his hunt brothers; "_My hunt brothers and I had found another huntress on the ooman home world. She is unblooded, but there is a story to this._"

Diana had to remind herself the ranking system in the yautjan world. Unblooded were the to-be warriors, Blooded were the lowest position, warrior was much higher, but honor warrior took a place next to the Elder. When it came to heroes; yautja didn't have many, few made an unforgettable mark in their history. In the case of such a prestigious role, they would be placed to become and elder like Ky'gon's father.

Korrine stood bravely beside her daughter, currently she would have to lie and say whatever the Stooges wanted her to say; if given the opportunity to speak.

"_A huntress?_" The Elder seemed impressed; somehow Diana felt she was missing the underlying expression because Ky'gon looked to his hunt brothers. "_It would seem the hunt went better then I anticipated. Where is this huntress now son?_"

"_Coming father._" Ky'gon turned to Diana and Korrine, beckoning them out. "_Her name is Dyt'kna and her ooman companion is Koorene._"

The elder immediately replied. "_Ooman?_"

Diana, or Dyt'kna as a proper female yautjan name given to her, and Korrine exited the ship. The area was silent, those who were Ky'gon's brothers and sisters, mother and father. Members of the clan joined the young hunters return, close and distant relatives watched as Diana come down the ramp with Korrine in tow.

She could've sworn the Elder tensed remarkably at their approach. "_Elder, this is Dyt'kna and her ooman companion Koorene._" Alha'uxi stepped in taking a stern role in bringing Diana into the reunion.

The Elder made no move to greet her properly; instead his eyes were glued on Korrine. "_I expect an explanation for bringing this pyode amedha into my clan._" He growled lowly. Small Stone's advice was correct; the Elder's temper was restricted by his love for his son. The only reason he hadn't been so offended when Korrine was mentioned.

"_This Ooman had proven herself worthy by aiding Dyt'kna when severely injured._" And the lie had begun, Diana was personally enjoying the mask while she kept her heart rate down and breathing even, she made pained faces, ones that would give away their lie in a second were it not for the full face mask.

The Elder took that as a reason to examine her closer, scrutinizing her face and stature. He was an experienced warrior, greatly feared and respected by his clan. With months spent on the human home world, he knew how to tell all there was to know about a human from interactions and appearance.

"_She is an older ooman, a lou-dte kalei as well. The females of the ooman kind are weaker as natural, how could she have proven herself?_" Korrine couldn't understand a word, but she knew fine well this conversation was about her. The look Ky'gon's father was giving her only enforced her belief; it wasn't until the trio began standing up for her that she even felt safe.

"_Dyt'kna is a lone hunter; she had been attacked by two tarei'hasan. They destroyed her vessel and she was forced to the ooman world._" Alha'uxi emphasized the mention of the unworthy, "_She sustained near fatal injuries when this ooman, Koorene, had found her and took it upon herself to heal Dyt'kna._"

The Elder visibly relaxed at the web they spun, the exact opposite of what Diana felt.

"_We shall continue this in private._" The Elder stopped the tale, taking lead of their direction. Alha'uxi nodded their success to Diana and Korrine before they followed him dutifully. The audience dispersed, family members awaiting the day Ky'gon returned from hunt to welcome him back would have to wait a little longer.

The halls were long and wide, some opening to larger rooms, some to locked doors. Diana hadn't a clue just how large the clan ship was, but assumed its gigantic size to a battleship if not bigger. The Elder took what seemed to be a more selective route to a secluded room if not for two rather intimidating guards standing just inside the entryway.

The Elder paid little attention to how Diana's head turned at every new face or area, the architecture varied from section to section, like each were divided into cultural divisions. Probably not accurate, but to Diana it seemed akin to it.

"_Now explain._" The Elder signaled the guards to leave, as they did, Alha'uxi continued.

"_Dyt'kna crash landed on the ooman world. She found herself with this ooman Koorene; she remained there until healed then searched for a way to leave._" The Elder casually sat back in a large chair, no doubt his throne. "_We were that way._"

It was clear he didn't like it much, not that having a human in his clan was, simply this new female, he human friend, and the suddenness of this all. If he was to allow one human in, other warriors who have found themselves partnered with a male or female human would request permission to join with them. While it would make his clan stronger, it came with its own consequences.

Some yautja's spited humans for no other reason then the dishonorable ones they had crossed in their hunts, or just because they see the yautjan specie higher then the smaller kind.

He would be lying to himself if he said he never thought such things. He had been on countless hunts, each successful, each raising him higher in his clan until he was deemed fit to be an Elder and given the prestigious role.

Humans were short, thin, and considerably weaker. If faced with an unarmed yautjan opponent while they carried weaponry, the human would still fall to the hunter. The Elder had only once seen a human that could defeat a yautja in battle nor their prey.

He'd also trick himself if he said human society wasn't the only thing in this entire galaxy that confused him profoundly. In order to accept this human into his clan, he wanted to know this humans' reason, but not by simply asking her, she could lie or withhold truth. He wanted to know what motivated her to aid a female warrior.

This human lou-dte kalei was older by appearance, though he didn't know how old, she wasn't fit to do what his females do. She gave nothing more to him then her presence; it was almost like she wasn't even in the room with them. She stood straight, said nothing, and allowed others to speak for her.

He wanted her to defend herself, not the hunters or the female she stands with.

"_Koorene._" He tried the name; it certainly wasn't one a yautja would bestow to their children. "_I assume you have been taught our ways so that I will not question your resolve nor why you are here. However, if I call upon you, I expect you to come just as all other members of this clan do._"

She bowed her head. "Of course." As if it was such a predictable thing.

He would watch her; see how she interacted with his clan. With luck, other hunters within this clan would accept her as just another body in the room. He saw and spoke to her and he wasn't even sure she was capable of anything other then following and listening. Her most notable moment is when she answered him.

She was a quiet one, he'd have to observe and see if this was a behavior humans only did in the presence of a respected leader.

"_Dyt'kna, I am pleased to see you have found your way from the ooman world and back with your own kind._" The Elder excused the conversation, Ky'gon knew all too well that when his father wanted to stop a subject, it best not be brought up again for ones own sake.

"_Thank you, Elder. I must admit, it is more refreshing then I imagined it would be._" Ky'gon's father greeted her just as the trio had taught her, hand on shoulder, shaken a bit before released. Diana was thrilled she had done it right; the Elder seemed fine with it.

"_I am Rokt'kiv, Elder of this clan with my brothers. Ky'gon is my youngest son and I entrust him to show you our clan, I would do so myself on such a unique occasion, though I must attend to my duties._" The Elder, or Rokt'kiv, turned away from the group. He wasn't working on much in the first place, he set aside his day to greet his son, but this was an unexpected development, he was receive much distaste from his clan while outsiders wish to be apart of them. "_Farewell Dyt'kna._"

A long day ahead indeed once word spreads a human is aboard.

* * *

Diana was scanning the walls and rooms Ky'gon showed her while his hunt brothers saw to other matters. For instance, starting their journey to return to their own clans.

It was Alha'uxi's vessel; he would accompany Small Stone to his before he arrived with his own clan. For the moment, the two were preparing themselves for they would leave in the morning.

She made sure the two knew she wasn't going to let them leave unless she got to say goodbye, they weren't disturbed by it and left to settle in for the night, to be rested for their return home.

Surprisingly, to Ky'gon at least, Korrine picked up on culture better then Diana did. When asked, she said she used to be an Archeologists' assistant and knew basic functions of primal hierarchy. Diana blinked in reply to a few things he explained, but was thrilled to know Korrine could explain it better to her then he ever could.

Unarmed combat became Jehdin Jehdin to Korrine while it continued being called hand to hand to Diana. The ability to comprehend everything Ky'gon was saying and compare it to a human ancient civilization was beyond his own capacity. He also enjoyed listening to Korrine tell him of humans that did the same as yautja's do hundreds of years ago.

Humans were still strange and confusing to Ky'gon, but the specie differences seemed so miniscule with Korrine around.

With Korrine here, misinterpretations became nothing more then class projects. She could transform the yautja specie as a whole into humanity, which astounded Ky'gon, Diana was less surprised, she knew her mother wouldn't let any inch of this new world go without having Ky'gon or someone equally civil to explain it.

It wasn't until Ky'gon invited them to his clan's feast that Diana got the fullest of yautjan culture.

Easy as it may be to know that what was set out on the largest table was food and you serve yourself or for your mate, but actually finding out what was what gave Diana a headache, but as before, Korrine suggested certain foods that appeared more edible then the rest.

Naturally, Korrine was able to scout out any and all foods that presented themselves more favorably then the rest of the alien cuisine. Diana followed suit, occasionally grabbing something Korrine didn't and stacking it on her plate.

Once the duo were finished and waited for Ky'gon to rejoin them, he led them to empty seats beside his and the other two Stooges Diana and Korrine became so fond of.

It wasn't until Korrine began eating with her hands that Diana got the gist. Humans' usual civilized way of eating wasn't used here, obviously, they were a different specie entirely, why should they eat like humans? Cautiously taking a bit out of some fruit that looked like a mutated version of a mango and pineapple, Diana chewed the fruity substance. Gradually admitting to herself she loved the taste; Diana ate hungrily at the bluish tinted fruit.

Korrine saw she had the same and tasted what her daughter seemed to love so much. The skin wasn't edible by human standards, Diana's powerful jaw and sharp teeth and tusks could shred it without a problem, but the flat shredding, tearing, and chewing teeth that Korrine had couldn't do anything but peel the layers of skin off.

It was a bit troubling at first, yet she got used to it and when she tried the juicy insides, she decided it was worth the trouble.

At the head of this table was Ky'gon father, who stared intently at Korrine and Diana, mostly the human female counterpart though. The woman was here on account for her honorable deeds towards a female of his kind; but he knew too much about humans to believe she just got up and left with them.

Is his years he came across countless humans, some unworthy of even being called anything more then an animal, but those few, those select few he found were unmistakable. More then once he offered to let one join him on his journey back to his clan, insisting that they would accept him or her as a worthy member.

Every time was the same answer, a polite thank you and a refusal.

That was one thing he never understood, why would any creature want to live where so many dishonorable animals reside? There was a woman who had aided him once, a considerably tall female by human nature. He mused with the thought for months after she downed three kainde amedha.

Hundreds of years ago this human woman fought beside him and after saving her homeland, she bid him farewell; not before he proposed that she return with him, become a warrior to his people. Females of any specie like that woman would be a valuable asset, a person of importance and order in a clan.

She merely smiled and told him that her people are still hidden from the rest of the world, much like the yautja are to the humans. She explained that without her as their protector, the people would die and the modern world consuming them. She was an Amazonian woman, a family of warrior women who took charge with no males.

Now, he placed her sword with his trophies, the one she bestowed upon him to symbolize their newfound kinship.

The sword was a weapon no longer, its age rendered it impossible to battle with, but he kept it, respected the woman it came from and the family of warriors who forged it.

His stories were of male and female fighting for what they believe, even against impossible odds; humans could defend themselves and those they love with the strength of yautjan warrior, sometimes these battles could never end in their favor despite their ferocity.

This female who sat by his son now was neither of these women, she was not large enough to be an Amazonian yet here she was, feasting with them; so question about her presence, others would watch her, stare at her like she would act irrationally at any instant. Perhaps they were right, or not, it depends on how her life within the clan goes.

For now, he would keep a watchful eye on the human female.

* * *

_**Blood Shifter2:** I can't do much with Korrine going on about Diana's new "suit" but I am making it a reoccuring joke between them and the Stooges.  
Ky'gon's father, now we've all seen the wise Elder's authors depict in their fictions, but I wanted to go for more then just wise. As two separate species, even the eldest of yautja can only understand so much. Humans are a mystery to them, I want to make this clear in Stunning Encounters.  
I also introduced an upcoming story... The Amazonian woman isn't without her own tale of course. :)_

_**GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK:** D'awww, you're too kind! It was you who allowed Alha'uxi on the team and honestly; he's saved my illiterate ass more then once in this progressing story.  
Oh noes! Loosing is never fun in a lawsuit. :( Fortunately for us, we won it. They paid $100,000 dollars in settlement. Suddenly; money!  
I'm feeling much better and next year, I'm going to England! I can't wait, I'm going everywhere my Mom used to go when she was even younger then me._

**_mckeown:_**_ He's going to get a lot more face time now that they've arrived at the clan, with Alha'uxi and Small Stone disembarking to return to their respective clans; he has to start looking out for our favorite lost yautjan female. :D_

**_Malakia:_**_ Don't worry about it, I just gulped down an entire bag of pixi stix. People don't like me when I'm on pixi stix, they say I'm HYYYYYPEEEEEERRRRR.  
Nah, Small Stone is very collective, I was told he was more of an action guy then a calm dude, but right now there isn't anything threatening him or his people; just a scared young yautjan in need of guidence. ;)  
"Yes, finally!" o.o? Have you been looking for a story with that kind of a conversation in it? I hope so, 'cause that wasn't the end of that little talk. There are a lot of dynamics to love and life mates that Ky'gon doesn't understand and needs someone to tell him.  
Y'know, that's so true. All characters can be a Mary-Sue if some flamer hates a story enough to insult an author. Those punks; I got one a long time ago, it was justly deserved though, I was a horrible author at the time. It's simply that they don't help and complain that makes me hate them so much. :[  
Err, off topic.  
It sounds kinda' pretentious doesn't it? Like "I'm such a nice person, let me flaunt it!" That's not what I'm going for, I just want to make her seem realistic in a way; of course, that's an irony isn't it? Trying to make a non-existant specie realistic?_


	29. A Little More

**_______Stunning Encounters_**

_______By Kaimaler_

* * *

**_______Oh yes! Please, take the opportunity to go to my user page and at the very top they'll be a "Poll", please! Vote! Your vote counts! :D  
_**_______When it's over, I'll rally the votes and publish my new story! I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone chooses! Currently, only two people have voted so I'm sad right now. But! With any luck (of which I have NONE) more people will go and vote on the poll while they have the chance._

You can decide my next story! Though options are limited I'm willing to hear any suggestions, send me a PM if you have any at all! I may say yes! :)

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone's heard it all before!

**_Character Disclaimer:_**_  
Two characters do not belong to me, while they shall remain unnamed for now, their respective owners are:  
Nok-tjau'ke - Infernothechinchilla.  
Alha'uxi - GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK.  
Thank you, Rita and Inferno! I love them both so much!_

* * *

The acceptance Diana gained was quite the shock; yautjan warriors, unblooded and blooded alike treated her with the same respect the Stooges had taught Diana to give others.

Except Bad Blood, that would destroy her life indefinitely.

Of course Diana had her new understanding of what right and wrong was in the presence of others. Signals that Korrine could pick up went right over the yautja's heads, they passed over various forms of physical language humans were so talented at understanding and their specie was not. Korrine would smile when Diana waved off a detail by snapping her hand open and closed as if cleaning dirt off inside her palm; yautja barely even noticed the motion.

"It's time Diana." Korrine called inside the room, earning a stumbling Diana hooking on the last piece of armor. "I bloody swear, no matter how many times I have to put this clunky, annoying stuff on, I will never get it on straight!" She finished the last piece, locking it into place while Korrine stood chuckling at her daughters' agitation.

"I'm glad you find my plight so amusing mother." Diana sighed, Korrine just ushered her out the door. "Come now love, Alha'uxi and Small Stone will be leaving shortly and I will be there to see them off with or without you."

Diana pretended to take offense, gasping and putting a hand over her heart in shock. "Mother! How could you?" Her lower tusks quivered in fear. Korrine laughed, patting Diana's arm. "Because I'm your mother and I'm allowed to be mean."

Giving up the act, Diana just followed suit behind Korrine, choosing the less busy halls to reach the hanger. Diana couldn't help but remind herself of movies and games from her home just to make memorizing various things easier. It actually aided her memory a great deal.

"Ah, here we are." Korrine walked inside, watching Alha'uxi and Small Stone speak to Ky'gon as they approached. "Hey guys." Diana greeted, the Stooges would never speak a word, but seeing Diana in armor was still strange; regardless of specie, Diana stood out from the others, her weight, muscles, and overall appearance didn't suit the same powerful, towering females of their world.

"_We were wondering if you were going to arrive on time._" Alha'uxi nodded towards mother and daughter, "_I am sure our paths will cross again, we have instructed Ky'gon of all that must be done before the completion of your training._"

"Oh, thanks." Diana mumbled, she hadn't a clue what she was going to do. The trio spoke of it like parents would school for their children. While it was fun to watch them toss thoughts and necessities around, what they usually entailed wouldn't be so enjoyable for Diana.

"_Farewell Koorene._" Alha'uxi bid the woman, who nodded back. "Goodbye Alha'uxi, Small Stone, safe journey." The two bowed back, turning to the two young yautja.

"_Take care of Dy'anna; it will be most difficult for her to change her ways in order to learn. Be patient and understanding Ky'gon._" He lectured, the blooded hunter smiled back to the older warrior, "_And Dy'anna, I ask only that you restrain yourself, keep calm and take the training to heart. It will be hard to learn at first, but you are built to do more then you know._"

"I'll do the best I can Alha'uxi, I'll see you two soon." She grinned, Diana would return to Earth but not for some time. The two experienced warriors would come back only then to take Korrine and Diana home.

Unfortunately, this stuck the two with a time limit to when the warriors returned. There would be a hunt in a year when they'd return for Ky'gon, Diana's first hunt, and Korrine so that the two could settle back down in another part of the world, away from those that at first tracked them down.

As the two warriors boarded the ramp, Korrine, Diana, and Ky'gon remained to watch the ship leave the clan ship completely. Once the duo had left, Ky'gon turned around and led the mother and daughter out of the hanger bay.

"_We will begin in the morning Dy'anna; I have to make our plans before we do anything._" Diana nodded, "Shouldn't I meet people? Know who to avoid and who to make friends with?"

Ky'gon looked curiously at Diana, "_Until you show yourself worthy of a hunt, most will not associate with you. So far all they know about you is that you are young and have an Ooman following you. I know a few that may aid our training, though I will have to question them about it before you meet them._"

"Then... what do we do?" She looked around the hallway they were passing through, other yautja ignored her and Korrine, but most would acknowledge the Elder's son walking past them. Apparently, Ky'gon was famous.

Diana chuckled; it was amusing to think such a little thing like being someone's child would get them so much recognition.

"_We will be studying our culture more today; tomorrow we shall begin your first physical training._" Ky'gon examined Diana's form, looking over the muscle tone and size. "_Our kind is naturally strong, though you will need much exercise before you are ready to begin learning how to hunt._"

"Oh gee, wonderful." Diana wasn't interested in learning how to hunt; the last time she was in a fight with someone she ended up electrocuted and still had the crisscross burns to prove it. "Hey, what kind of exercise are we talking about?"

Ky'gon smiled, stopping in front of a door. "_This kind._" The door was larger then the rest, it was two doors crossing over each other and the moment they opened up, Diana swore Ky'gon was doing this just to mess with her.

"You've got to be kidding me."

The room was filled to the ceiling with tools, heavy weights and an open area in the middle to sport exercise matches. Exercise tools that looked like torture devices, training weaponry that looked ready to kill; the entire room looked more like a death trap then an _exercise _chamber. This wasn't something Diana was looking forward to trying out.

"_I assure you everything you see here is what you shall be taking on tomorrow._" Apparently, Ky'gon didn't understand Diana's meaning. She glanced to the young male beside her, sending a warning look his way before the moved on.

"_I will wake you and Koorene for training tomorrow; Koorene will accompany us only so that I know I am giving only what you can handle and what she will allow me to do._" Ky'gon led them away from the training room, "_Is that enough for you Koorene?_"

"Oh yes love, that's just fine."

* * *

Diana had been knocked down more times then she'd care to count. At first she wouldn't have been so bothered since she had never done such a thing before... Of course, that was before Diana was made aware that she had an audience watching her and Ky'gon exercise.

"_Come, again._" Ky'gon ordered, the translator was off so Korrine sat on the sidelines just watching the two converse in a language beyond her and her daughter fight in an uneven battle against an opponent obviously much better then she.

Ky'gon sported less armor and a long thick pole he used to attack Diana with repeatedly. Korrine winced every time she saw her daughter struck with another bruising blow from Ky'gon's pole, only to meet the area ground again. After a short while, Diana clearly gave up any and all attempts to win against Ky'gon and instead tried more on defending herself and dodging the painful blows.

One after another, Ky'gon was relentless, whacking every weak point Diana had; using her inability to fight to his advantage. Korrine felt Ky'gon should let up on his attacks as it was quickly becoming more and more like he had forgotten who he fought against and focused more on winning.

Were it not for the growing crowd of yautja that gathered in the exercise chamber, Korrine would've stopped this fight half and hour ago. For now, she'd sit still and let Ky'gon know her discomfort.

Clearing her throat, Diana turned her attention to her mother and Ky'gon followed suit. Shaking her head slightly, Diana smiled in thanks while Ky'gon nodded to signify his understanding.

He listened to Korrine, so as the force at which he struck Diana went down, his speed went up.

It was becoming more difficult to dodge, impossible to maneuver without getting cut, and before the end of the day, Diana knew she faced quite the beating. Sore already, bruises showed themselves and Ky'gon ignored it, offering little more then time for her to breathe before continuing the onslaught.

Every few moments, Ky'gon would stop, Diana would calm her nerves, and he'd start again. It became a perpetual motion of fighting, beating, stopping, and repeat. Diana was tired, she wasn't used to this kind of physical stress; this wasn't normal and she was beginning to show.

Standing still became a challenge just as much as standing up was. Breathing in wasn't a concern, but the moment she released her heavy pants, her joints would shake and shiver, begging her to fall and surrender this fight.

Ky'gon didn't intent to stop even as Diana showed her exhaustion. He was too much for her and she wasn't able to do half as much as he could. It was a case of training and experience, Diana had none and Ky'gon had years.

When Ky'gon poised for another strike, he heard a voice speak up, interrupting his thoughts.

It was as quiet as a whisper, but it was directly next to him. "Ky'gon, stop this. Diana can barely stand; she's had enough." Korrine stopped him, leading Diana off the area ground and away from the blooded young male.

He understood, throwing his and Diana's training weapon aside, he joined the mother and daughter leaving the exercise chamber. He wasn't struck a single time, Diana's inexperience was her downfall and he momentarily forgot she wasn't a clan-born pup; she existed on Earth with a human family. Their species differed so greatly that Ky'gon hadn't the time to actually learn just how different they really were.

Korrine led Diana straight to her bed chambers, courtesy of Ky'gon's father, and sat her down on the bed.

"That did not go well." Korrine sighed; Diana sat shaking on the edge of the bed.

Ky'gon looked to Diana's bruised form. "_She seems to have little understanding of strategy; her tactics are all wrong, striking at bad moments, dodging into attacks._"

"That isn't the problem Ky'gon," Korrine grinned, "We never exposed her to much violence beyond movies and video games, so fighting isn't something she knows anything about. She's young and hasn't a clue how to fight, teach her basics, give her time Ky'gon, she'll do it eventually." Ky'gon nodded, watching Korrine relax Diana's sore muscles.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Diana mocked playfully, "I really did miss getting beaten up."

Ky'gon regarded only for a second before Korrine waved her finger at him, telling him not to take it seriously. "You'll practice more later, for now; Ky'gon wanted to explain the trophies."

After resting a bit, Diana got right back up, slightly sore, but without drastic damage. As Korrine mentioned, Ky'gon had to explain trophies and what they mean to yautjan culture.

Unfortunately, this wasn't something Diana wanted to take part in when she saw the _'trophies.'_

"Oh God, that's disgusting." Diana growled at the skulls, after seeing the human skulls she took offence... as did Korrine, but she dismissed it much better then her daughter. "How can someone call these trophies?" She pointed to a human skull, writings carved in a halo around the skull and markings down the mid and jaw line, signifying the bone structure of a yautja over the human skull.

That was a great trophy and an adventurous hunt.

"_On hunts, a successful hunter receives many trophies. This is simply one._" He was showing his comparatively small collection; he was a young blooded hunter, he wasn't experienced enough yet to have trophies like his father had. "_After a hunt, the victor removes the skull and cleans it of all materials before mounting it on their wall. Some skulls are marked to symbolize the hunt or the hunted._"

Diana recoiled, seeing skulls that were long, narrow, and noticeably without eye sockets. "Why would you do that?" She examined the skull closer, it was unmarked, seemingly a not very significant hunt.

"_It is a way to measure a hunter's skill; if during mating season a female is looking for a prospective mate she will use their trophies to tell if he is worthy to mate with her._" Diana jumped back, staring at Ky'gon with a disgruntled expression.

"That's... that's..." She shivered; the thought was disturbing to say the least. "I can't imagine that, it's gross." Korrine didn't speak against the wall of skulls, or trophies, it was not her place to comment on it. Ky'gon said it was customary for his people to hold their trophies as such and she'd not argue.

Though, she did agree. It was a nerve racking sight.

"_It is only a trophy of a worthy hunt, nothing less._" Ky'gon detailed, scanning over a few skulls, "_The skulls mounted on a warrior's wall are those worthy of his time, of his skill. Many hunters carry more or less skulls with a story behind each one._"

"I don't want to hear those stories..." Diana mumbled, looking at the skulls like desecrated remains, as they really were. "Ky'gon, I know you're trying to show me our species traditions, but I'm not comfortable with this kind of... ritual. It's just plain wrong."

Ky'gon could understand that one not raised in such a way would believe so. He'd just have to teach her how to see beyond the physical existence of this_ skull_ and see a trophy, a worthy prey for a hunter's blade.

"_Two warriors have challenged each other in the arena; a warrior is challenging another for the rights to mate._" Ky'gon stated, distracting Diana and Korrine from the trophies. "_I want you to see it; it will allow you insight to how the hierarchy functions._"

Diana looked between Ky'gon and the skulls, deciding the fight seemed a better idea then hanging around in a room full of deteriorating bones. "Yeah sure... Let's do that." She nervously followed Ky'gon out of the room, Korrine happily exiting with them.

Outside Ky'gon quarters, Diana watched other larger yautja pass her by, ignoring her completely. They all appeared to be heading in the same direction, save for a few who didn't seem all to interest in this _challenge_. Speaking of, Diana didn't know what Ky'gon meant by it.

"_Ky'gon,_" She was relieved she remembered to only speak in yautjan around others. "_What do you mean a 'challenge'?_" She asked, passing a few massive yautja warriors, Korrine slipped easily between Diana and Ky'gon, she was considerably smaller compared to the much larger males and females. It was amusing to see the size difference.

"_It is melee combat with one weapon of choice for each fighter, a battle of two warriors using nothing but their skills._" Ky'gon elaborated, "_When one is challenged, both must compete against one another without outside aid; if one is found breaking the rules they are rewarded a quick death._"

"_Oh, for a moment I was worried it was..._" Diana blinked, staring straight into Ky'gon's back. "_Did you say '_death'_?"_

Ky'gon didn't reply, only led them into a large room filled with an open arena and a few spectators watching the outcome. Leading them out of the way of the door, Ky'gon came face to face with his father watching his clan members battle.

There were metal slabs positioned as seats, only the Elder's held a raised chair to see the sport better.

"_Dyt'kna,_" His father greeted, taking one glance over her seeing the multitudes of new bruises and cuts, "_I see you have been training; you must have lost much strength stranded on the Ooman world. I am pleased to see that it has not taken permanent affect on you._"

"_It feels very good returning to my practice, I only hope I can regain my strength quickly._" Diana bowed to the Elder as did Korrine, "_I am in luck, I get to witness my first battle aboard your clan ship Elder and I am very thankful you allowed me to take refuge in your clan, else I not have this opportunity._"

"_I would not let you wander alone in your weakened state; young hunters often make mistakes on their first hunt, I am no stranger to that._" He turned to the arena, watching the enemies approach each other and begin the challenge. "_It is rare to see two honored warriors challenge each other so readily; usually they are far more patient and accepting._"

Diana wasn't interested in the slightest, but knew why Ky'gon wanted her to see the fight. It was between two powerful hunters, each one testing new waters to find the other's weakness. This battle would go to the hunter who could assess their opponent's weakness quicker and strike him down.

As the two circled one another, looking for that perfect moment, Diana remembered seeing Ky'gon do it when training her in the ring earlier. He circled her like prey, poised to strike, and Diana hadn't one idea what was going on or how to fight; she gave him that chance to put her down by fighting back.

She resisted a groan, how come she couldn't see this before? The two moved carefully towards each other, now seconds counted down before one hunter struck the other, one wielding a combi stick and another some form of large dagger too short to be considered a sword.

Though Diana admitted watching two full grown beasts the size of trucks with the force of a tank was somewhat intriguing, she couldn't help but think about what Ky'gon said. "_... rewarded a quick death._" She didn't want to show her discomfort when sitting directly beside Ky'gon's father, Rokt'kiv.

Diana never thought about it, but Rokt'kiv looked positively terrifying, like some monster out of a sci-fi horror. His tusks were long yet damaged, one was obviously broken off, his dreadlocks were so long they touched his lower back; the horns around his head looked threatening even if there wasn't a purpose for them.

He was adorned with scars, from his forehead, to face, and hands. His skin appeared so much rougher then her own, like his scales grew into ridges some looking quite dangerous.

Diana wouldn't tell anyone, but she was scared of the massive Elder beside her.

Returning her attention to the fight, Diana spotted one combatant had sustained a nasty gash along his side, given in kind from the hunter with the combi stick. He was growling frustration, trying his very best to hide the pain that shot from his ribcage and abdomen. Clearly, he was either going to end his enemy now or loose since the wound restricted various movements.

It was perfectly placed, the attack, once he moved forward the opponent prepared himself to defend. Only ending up with the hunter dodging his block and striking his back attempting to sheath the dagger there. Though his opponent moved, the hunter managed to sink the dagger in his arm instead.

Narrowing her eyes, Diana saw the hunter loose a grip on his dagger as the other moved out of his range, ending up with a dagger still stuck in his arm. Forcefully ripping it out, now his opponent had all the weapons.

He noticed his rather unfortunate predicament and took to dodging the favored combatant as he swung with all his strength, once or twice nicking the unarmed warrior.

Eventually, the battle came down to who was more tired then the other more then who had the weapons.

Comparing the two, the combatant who lost his dagger to the other was seemingly more awake then the other, standing steady and poised, as before, to strike.

Diana watched with mild interest now, it would be amazing if the unarmed hunter defeated the one with all the weapons on his side.

That was, right before the unarmed warrior fought back, using his own superior stamina to redirect his opponent's tired attack to claw the combi stick from his hand and use it against him.

Recoiling, Diana saw the victor embed the combi stick in his enemies' stomach, taking hid dagger again and letting out a triumphant roar.

Oh this didn't bode well, her stomach flipped and she profusely thanked that she could keep herself under control as Ky'gon talked with his father about the fight. Something about outsmarting the opponent rather then overpowering. Diana couldn't care less; she wanted to retreat to her room this instant.

Another stroke of luck, Rokt'kiv was parting ways. "_I would like to speak with you a moment._" Korrine blinked, she didn't expect this. He was looking directly at her so the request was hers; she nodded her acceptance. "Absolutely." With a small smile, Korrine left down a different hall with Rokt'kiv, leaving Ky'gon and Diana alone.

"Back to the room, now." Diana turning around, heading straight back to her chambers with Ky'gon on her heels. "_What is wrong?_"

She groaned, "That was horrible; you watch people kill each other as entertainment?" She was quickly reminded of the Gladiatorial Arena in ancient times, but at least they were an ancient civilization that was dead now. "Skulls as trophies, murder for movies, what the bloody hell else is there? Dismemberment for children?"

Ky'gon shook his head, "_Dy'anna that was a challenge for the rights to mate, not murder._"

Diana gave him a deadpan look. "Oh, I'm sorry. Killing someone because they got your girl isn't murder, how could I be so stupid!" She replied sarcastically, bursting into her chambers as Ky'gon tried to explain it to her better.

"_If a female has chosen a male, they mate, if the male wants rights to that female, to prove himself, he challenges the male she chose. When one looses, it is a dishonor to be left alive. The standing male ends the other's life out of respect; it is not a crime._"

From the look on her face, that hadn't worked. "_If a female chooses a male and another female desires him, the female challenges the other for the rights to mate. It can go both ways for each gender._"

"Look, equality isn't the problem here. Killing is and I don't intend on doing it any time soon." She sat back down on the bed, "It's a sin to kill."

Ky'gon realized something else about Diana, it wasn't just their worlds that set them apart, it was more, it was personal morals and, unfortunately, humans had many morals that would disallow the yautjan way of life. Ky'gon knew little about their standards, only that they were drastically different then his. He'd have to look into that.

"_For us it is a rite of passage,_" He grimaced, wrong choice of words. "_Correction, it can prove a hunter's honor and strength through defeating another, perhaps more powerful challenger._"

"See, I don't get that stuff." Diana sighed, slumped over on the bed. "It's all bollocks. Men measuring their testosterone and seeing who's is more irrational."

She lost him, but he wasn't about to give up. Taking a seat next to her, Ky'gon searched for the right way to phrase this. "_If you were born part of a clan, would this be different to you? Or would your life on the Ooman world be?_"

Diana shrugged, "I guess it would be stranger on Earth." Ky'gon nodded once, "_The difference between our species and oomans are less then we think. It is only how we are taught, how our ancestors had learned to survive that made us as we are now, the separation of both species has defined us so far. Because of recent interaction with the oomans have we began to see passed this. No one notices it, but I have seen it before, even my father has._"

"I'm not saying that I don't... respect yautjan culture, it's pretty amazing really, I just don't _agree_ with it." Diana looked around for the answer, "It's not me."

Ky'gon rationalized her reply, she was a yautja born in human culture, it was understandable the differences they faced now as she returned to her own kind. She was misplaced in another world with another sentient lifeform; something unheard of beforehand. It was a new task to complete, a new stepping stone between human and yautja.

Then, comparing the species to each other, Ky'gon thought of something.

If it was an ooman child lost on their homeworld, would the yautja save it? Raise it as their own? Or would they abandon it to its fate, without a second thought?

Ky'gon had a suspicion the latter was more likely. His people spent their long lives perfecting their hunts, their strength, and siring healthy young. He had always waited for the day he'd be worthy enough to sire a pup, though it wasn't going to be anytime soon, he still kept his sights on it.

"_This is probably only due to my young age Dy'anna, but I do believe oomans know something we do not._" He wanted to urge her to continue as much as possible; but he wasn't going to lie. "_I have heard tale after tale, experienced oomans doing things we would not dream of. Sometimes for the better, or not._"

"Ky'gon, how does a woman choose a man here? I mean, is it position, strength, what?" Ky'gon looked to the door leading out of the room, imagining his own growing trophy collection. "_All of those and more._"

"That's not helpful." She growled lazily, earning a huff from her friend.

"_A female decides upon a male by reputation, strength, skill, trophies, and how healthy the young he had already sired were._" He had almost puffed up with pride as she questioned him about this; he just had to remember that until she was blooded she would not be considered for a mate. "_It is rare when a male chooses a female. It does happen and when it does it consists of many battles fought to impress the female; he gives himself a chance to be the chosen mate of his desired female. She must be equally strong with reputation matching or surpassing his own. You can easily assume young males often see themselves more then they are._"

"So..." She shifted in her seat, scratching the back of her sore neck. "If I were to get strong enough and age with dignity, I could have a 'mate' of my own specie?"

Ky'gon nearly jumped, was she really asking him about her chances to breed? At her young age? "_Dy'anna, you are too young now, in a number of years of course you'd be able to mate._" He immediately decided this was awkward, he had something of a protective instinct towards Diana. "_If you do train and remain with the clan, eventually you would be deemed worthy to mate, yes._"

"How long do yautja marriages or... mate-ship, last?" Diana hadn't a clue what to call monogamy between two yautja's.

"_You are referring to lifemates._" Interesting, Ky'gon thought, he had just had this conversation with Korrine only now he'd be telling his own species' side. "_Until one or both die, usually. Lifemates are extremely rare and I have only seen few who commit themselves to it._"

Diana smiled, "At least there's something I agree with. Humans marry and some only have a relationship with their chosen other, some don't, and some divorce."

"_We do not have such a thing. If a lifemate is dishonorable to their mate, it is a grave offence and dealt with-_" Diana held her hand up, "Let me guess, with a quick death?"

He almost laughed at her assumption. "_No, though it has been known to happen. The dishonorable mate is cast off; the offence is unforgivable in any yautjan clan._"

"Ah." _Pretty much the same,_ She mused. "Do you decide you're going to have a lifemate or is it like choosing someone to mate with?"

"_The decision is made upon agreement of both mates, only then are they considered lifemates._" That was the same as a human marriage so far. "_As I mentioned, it is rare and though it does not affect either of the mates' positions within the clan, it is seen as an oddity._"

"... Do you intend to have a lifemate?"

Once more, this human raised yautja nearly forced a shocked reply out of him. He had remarkable self-control and was swiftly realizing this. "_I do not... know as of yet. At my age and the son of an Elder, it is best I sire young before, if I do so choose, to have a lifemate. If I do find a lifemate so early in my life, it could develop as a difficulty._"

"How so?" She smirked, her mandible flaring in amusement. "_If I do not sire enough young after proving myself to a female, I may end up dishonoring my father's name_."

Diana gulped, "Oh..."

* * *

Korrine paid little attention to the fight as her focus was more on Rokt'kiv who seemed adamant about asking her questions about herself, Diana, their meeting Ky'gon and his hunt brothers, then turned it all back on her.

Though after the fight, Rokt'kiv seemed far more interested in her then beforehand.

To the point of making a request that she speak with him. Korrine only cringed slightly when she saw Ky'gon's worried expression and Diana's own ill one. She was too disturbed by witnessing the fight.

Of course, Korrine was thankful she didn't see the death of the combatant yet still felt the need to comfort her daughter; for now, Ky'gon would have to take care of that and he wasn't so talented at that.

So here she was, walking beside the Elder of this clan ship, Ky'gon's father, and the only person who could remove Diana from this ship or allow her the freedom to do as she pleased. For now, Korrine would have to play it safe, giving minimal answers to even the most detailed questions.

Rokt'kiv now knew she had a husband, or mate, that he was deceased due to unmentioned means. Korrine hated speaking about Harvey; his recent passing was still a fresh wound. Although she wanted to spite the Stooges for the death of her husband, she knew she couldn't as it wasn't them who killed him.

Korrine was yet to see the creature that caused so much of this trouble, the creature baring the skull Ky'gon had mounted with his trophies. She despised that creature for her husband yet withheld herself from thinking too much about it. Harvey was gone and nothing could bring him back.

Asking about her heritage seemed a safe thing to discuss and it only became complicated when she had to explain how she lived. Rokt'kiv changed the subject instantly, now setting eyes on her staying here and how the clan had been treating her so far.

He wasn't as she suspected, a tyrant over his clan, but an honorable leader who listened to his people with the intents to fix a problem. He was patient and, in his culture, very well educated; he was able to explain things of his people Korrine previously couldn't understand. It was useful having him around; actions showed themselves foolish in her mind were cleared up by Rokt'kiv.

Relaxing some, they were approached by a young male, interrupting their conversation. Korrine couldn't understand them and acted as if she didn't care all too much.

As Rokt'kiv sent her along her way, claiming there was an urgent order that needed to be fulfilled else he face consequences. Korrine was happy enough to leave him be, traveling back down the route they had taken in order to find Diana and Korrine.

Their talk wasn't so much as important as it was Rokt'kiv ensuring there wasn't a concern with her in the presence of his clan. He would continue their conversation later, for now he had business to attend to.

Korrine felt a bit tired talking with Rokt'kiv, he wasn't one for details and only wanted the overview; this was naturally more difficult as life is complicated and brings many unexpected things, but he showed to be bothered only when she gave cryptic answers, telling him she didn't want to stay on that topic he'd often jump to another.

The moment she opened the door, she found Diana and Ky'gon sitting close beside each other, obviously caught up in a deep conversation before Korrine interrupted just as the young yautja had.

"Oh, I'm sorry; did I come at a bad time?"

* * *

_**Blood Shifter 2:** Well, yeah. Korrine and Rokt'kiv will get along just fine. :)  
It wasn't ever a matter (to me!) of getting the meeting over with, but rather how Diana would cope ditching everything she ever learned just to act like yautja's do while she is around them. It's not that easy.  
Late update, been busy, writers block. And my last review received by another reader kinda' set me off. :(_

**_Teddy-wabbitz:_**_ WHO KNOWS. I don't, I want to, but I'm rather unlucky with that kinda' stuff. =D_

**_Irish Neko:_**_ Nah, Rokt'kiv won't kill her and old people love is always cute. How about I just let you keep guessing until the chapter that answers this is published. :D  
Ah yes, as always. Thank you, you're too kind! I thought my latest work was really starting to slip; tired more often, writers blocks. Things tended to build up against my favor..._

**_GODDESS-Rita-ofDARK:_**_ Irish Neko (another reader!) just guessed that too. Perhaps I'll have to incorporate that for fanservice. Yesssssssssssssss?_

_**nuttex:** GASP!  
You guessed! No one else did. :(_

_So, here's the deal. You got it right and I have nothing to give you in return but something from my story. Sooooo, I want you, (if YOU want to only!) to tell me what you'd most like to see happen within the next chapter (or two, or whatever) and I'll do it! All in dedication towards your awesomeness.  
Naturally, this is just an offer, you don't have to if you don't want to! Or something. =)_

_Also, I loved that movie. "A Beautiful Mind" made me cry, in a good and sad way. =D_

_**Malakia:** EVERYTHING IS WRONG WITH MEEEEE  
Don't worry, I get jerked around a lot and _nothing_ can offend me! I am INVICIBLE. Also, I just had two cadbury creme eggs. LAWL_

_Yeah, Alha'uxi and Small Stone have left for the time being, leaving Ky'gon, Korrine and Diana alone to do as they... do. Or something. I'm not surrreee._

_MORE ROMANCE SOON. In this chapter, there's a liiiiiiiittle. But the romance between a generally disfunctional yautja female who believes she's more human then not is going to take a whiiiiile. Though we'll be skipping ahead to extra romance here soon. =D_

_I think Diana's fine where she is. She can't fight, easily offended by violence, good hearted but short temper. I think she's normal enough, at least, so much as I can without completely destroying her or the story. =)_

_Yeah... Diana's practically in a metal bikini..._

_Oh yeah! I have two readers who want to see Korrine get some old people love, so I decided "Hell, why not?" So there's also going to be a romance between Korrine aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand SOMEONE. HA HA HA Cliffhanger..._

_Thanks Malakia, you're so awesome, I love your reviews! They make me feel like I'm doing better as time goes on, just as I want it to be! :)_

**_MrRaccoon:_**

_Well now. This is... quite the misunderstanding we have here. I take constructive critism just fine, it'd be much better if you sended it to me through PM though. =)_

_Diana isn't a "Predator", she's an average being. I study psychology and have been focusing much on the understanding that ones childhood has a much larger impact on their lives then they may think. Parents, friends, area, home, car, land, everything! Isn't that cool? So when I discovered Diana I thought she'd be a perfect character to use as a way to show this psychological study. This story has actually moved me up in my work to be a psychatrist. I'm quite proud of it. :)_

_It depends on a persons' childhood how they live their adult life and what career they choose. A man who's father was a gambler might resent him and work hard to seperate himself from his father while his brother would pick up his fathers bad habits._

_It all depends and Diana was raised by a young couple who had to go through a lot of trouble just to shelter her while they taught her human morals, art, politics, and rights._

_How could she know that flaying people and hanging them was a warning? Or that a Xenomorph is the ancient enemy of her specie? How is she to know that her people hunt them and other creatures as a way to prove their worth? She can't and that's why she is like she is._

_Hey, that's unfair now. I've not once delved into Diana's life on Earth. Well, maybe a few times before where we joined in on the family but no more. You can't tell me you know that Diana's led a good life on Earth without a single problem if I haven't _told_ you she has. Of which she hasn't. We're not focusing on her life on Earth, we're focusing on her life with Ky'gon and Korrine._

_Until I tell you what Diana's life was on Earth you cannot rightfully say you know. Because I have not let a single reader into her past just yet. The earlier chapter with the Stooges asking how Diana has survived on a planet thats oxygen would kill a normal yautja after prolonged exposure is actually a hint that Diana's more then she seems. Most people got that, asking if they'd be able to know more about the crash of Diana's biological parents and before then even._

_After which, Diana's life on Earth had not gone well. It took time, but they adjusted. Imagine having a child and only allowing certain people inside your home and restricting yourself to them because if you knew anyone else; you could compramise her life._

_Also, Yautja's do not eat the skin. Flaying is a symbol, like in "Concrete Jungle" it serves as a sign to others, not as a food source. Alha'uxi, Small Stone, and Ky'gon weren't eating pancakes, Diana was. As she was raised on them._

_Harvey didn't die because of the Stooges, his placement was a misunderstanding on both sides. He was killed because of the local alien specie that exists in the area; not due to their intervention of her family life. It wasn't their fault, Korrine and Diana are experienced enough in life to understand this. In yautjan culture it is dishonorable to kill a person of any specie that wasn't a threat or a challenge to them. It's like kicking someone when they're down. Not right in any way._

_Diana had some friends she knew on the side, away from her parents as they would forbid it. Chances on her life and all. Like I said before: I have not told you if she had childhood friends, boy or girl._

_I won't be for some time. We're looking in on Diana and Korrine's life within yautjan society; not human, not Earth. Later, we will be, for now... It wouldn't be fitting._

_There aren't other humans onboard the Clan ship, if there was, Diana would've made a goal to meet them; to have a friend. Though... I never said there wouldn't be later... *hint hint nudge nudge*_

_Grizzly? What are you talking about? Ky'gon is the romance in this story, he's older but around her age, he lacks the experience of a wise warrior but that comes with time. He's not as... structurally defined as some other yautja warriors, though I'm not saying (as any yautja hunter is) that he's weaker in any way. He's a regular male yautja, young, determined, and somewhat neive._

_Durp. I'm glad you're enjoying it, but ask questions before jumping to conclusions. It took me an hour trying to figure out how to explain this. I feel like I'm giving an overview of the entire story and not just what you've said.  
If you have any questions, please, send them to me and I'll answer! =D_

_Thanks for the constructive critism, I do appreciate your trying to help me improve on my writing. I always love a reader who feels the need to speak up about the story; it tells me I'm actually doing good even if I do need to practice a bit more. :)_


End file.
